A Thousand Years
by Kotoni-Chan
Summary: It was a cold and frozen night when a young boy found a demon injured in the snow. Or maybe the demon found him.
1. That Butler, Meeting

There was an unforgiving chill in the wind.

The pale moon shown down on the paved streets of the city of London, barely alive due to the late night hour. Pale, frozen flakes fell from the heavens and danced in the breeze, eventually coating the entire area in a thin sheet of ice and snow. Men, women, and children rushed down the emptying sidewalks, hurrying to get to their final destination to escape the harsh yet beautiful season of winter.

A man, however, paid no heed to the crunching of the footsteps or the small tickles on his face from the snowflakes making their way to the ground. He simply sat, small ghost of a smile on his face as he held onto his sides, coat discarded and white shirt shredded revealing his pale, scratched and torn up chest.

The white sheet or snow around him was red.

He didn't call out for help, he didn't want it. Humans were selfish creatures anyways; they wouldn't help out a stranger like him unless it somehow benefited them. He could tell from the looks in their eyes when men glared at him for being so un-presentable, women avoided eye contact with him out of fear, and children who were too young to understand the true perils of life ogled him in question and wonder before being pulled away by their mothers and fathers. He didn't expect anything different.

"You're a mess."

The male froze, looking up from his spot on the frozen ground, his ruby eyes staring in surprise at the person in front of him. So lost in his own thoughts, he had failed to notice the crunching of boots come his way before stopping altogether. How long had this boy been standing in front of him?

"Forgive me, but my appearance does not concern me at the moment," the dark, raven haired male on the ground replied, a smile brushing his pale lips as he examined the small boy in front of him.

The child was no older than thirteen, sleet colored hair contrasting harshly with the white powder daintily resting on his head. The tone of his skin showed lack of sunlight, paleness a simple shade or two darker than the snow itself. His porcelain face showed arrogance, pain, and determination, adding the air of authority the boy possessed. Ocean blue eyes locked onto crimson ones, nearly devoid of emotion yet a spark still finding it's way through. The slender bones in the cheeks and jaw, along with the large eyes, were traits a girl would dream graced her features. And a slim torso, long and slender legs, all hidden beneath a large, navy blue coat with tan fur around the rim of the hood, only added to that effect.

The boy was beautiful.

"I'll call a hospital," the boy said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small device. His tone was bored, almost as if not caring about finding a bleeding person on the side of the street. "You're an idiot for not doing this earlier and making someone else do it."

The injured male merely smirked as the boy began pressing buttons on the small yet high tech phone, his smirk only deepening when the boy looked back down at him. "Is something funny?" he asked, a hint of agitation in his voice as he halted before pushing the call button.

"I simply find it hilarious how you think I am going to go to a hospital." The boy glared down at him and the male cut off what he knew was going to be an impossibly long list of complaints or name calling by speaking again. "Human doctors and surgeons cannot heal someone like I, for you see, I am not a human."

Silence passed for a few moments, neither male saying anything. The crunching around them seemed to have stopped, as more and more people evacuated the streets to escape the freezing weather.

"Maybe I should call you a mental hospital," the boy said, putting his phone back into his pockets with a huff as he turned back around.

"I do not lie."

The raven haired male saw hesitation in the boy as he saw him freeze, one leg extended as he had originally intended to walk away, and instead mentally evaluate his choices to continue with that plan, help a seemingly deranged man, or call the police.

_**I do not lie.**_

Something in that phrase kept the boy from walking away. The child felt the urge to believe what the clearly strange man had said, but he couldn't fathom why. Finally the boy turned back around, his blue orbs focusing back down at the male who continued to clutch his sides.

The boy sighed. "Human or whatever, I don't care. But you do need some sort of treatment for the bleeding. Surely some bandages wouldn't hurt," he said, pulling out his phone once more. The pale, ruby eyed male raised an eyebrow.

"I told you, a hospital won't work for me, I—"

"Yeah yeah, you're not human, shut up. I'm not calling the hospital," the boy rudely cut him off, bring the phone to his ear. The man on the ground watched curiously as the boy mumbled something into the receiver and then shut the device, putting it back into his pocket. He didn't spare a glance back down at the injured person, or even say another word. Silence fell over them again.

Not a minute later, a sleek black car pulled up beside the two and the boy looked back down. "Get up, I'm bring you to my mansion."

What the boy had said was surprising to say the least, the older male didn't expect it. A part of him did expect the boy to leave, to storm off and call him a liar, call him names like crazy, and then leave him to bleed continuously on the ground. Yet here the blue eyed boy was, offering him treatment back at his residence.

"Hurry up," the boy said, voice demanding though not hard and careless. With a small smile, the male attempted to lift himself off the ground, only to be consumed by pain and he sat back down.

"I cannot, I'm afraid," he said. "I do not expect you to help me, so please do not trouble yourself over me," he added, leaning back against the building he was resting on. He was surpsied even further when the boy took a few steps towards him, reached out to grab him to help him up, before freezing a few inches before making contact. The male on the ground watched curiously as the boy's face went from annoyance to determination, then to what appeared to be doubt and…fear?

The boy appeared to be having an inward battle with himself, hand still reaching out and only an inch or two away from the raven-haired male's arm. Finally, with a sigh, he retracted it and stepped back.

"Wait here," he said, and walked towards the car. Why was the boy so hesitant to touch him? Why did he get a look of fear in his eyes?

"Excuse me, Sir, may I grab your arm? The master has asked me to help you into the car."

The injured man looked up into the eyes of what appeared to be a servant, a driver to be exact by the hat he wore. He turned his head to see the boy, obviously the master, standing beside them with his arms crossed and a bored look on his face. The man's arm was taken by the servant and led to the car, everyone silent to what was happening. Here, a stranger, a boy to be precise, was taking in an injured and possibly crazy stranger in an attempt to heal his wounds. In this day and age, things like this didn't happen, which is why the boy and the man himself couldn't contemplate why something like this was happening.

"You better be worth all of this trouble, not just some crazy, drugged up alcoholic who lost a catfight," the boy mumbled as he climbed into the rather large car, sitting across from the male sprawled out on the seats in front of him. "It will take a long time to get your blood out of those seats." The older male couldn't help but mentally laugh at the boy.

"Oh trust me, though I may doubt it, I think you will find that I am indeed worth all this trouble."

* * *

"Mey-Rin, please prepare a room for our guest."

The maid, purple hair in twin pigtails spiking out from under the head garment, bustled about nervously around the boy, thick round glasses obstructing the view from her probably panicked eyes.

"Young Master, are you sure that's a good idea?" she asked worriedly. "I mean, he's a complete stranger!"

The boy huffed and crossed his arms, his jacket having long been discarded, revealing a vest with a tie and white, long sleeved shirt and slim dress pants. A school uniform, apparently. "I found him injured. What kind of person would I be if I just left him there to fend for himself and possibly die?"

"This isn't like bringing home a stray cat, he's a person!"

"I am not really a person, you see. I am not human at all, as I have said earlier," the not-person inserted from his spot of leaning against the wall, trying to get support from his weakened state. The blue-haired boy rolled his eyes but turned back to his maid anyways.

"There you have it, now please get one of the rooms ready and send Bard over here to help me get him to the room."

Defeated, the maid nodded and scurried off, nearly tripping over her two feet in the process. The boy turned back towards his guest. "If you keep saying that then people are going to think we're mad; you for spouting nonsense and me for allowing you to stay with me."

The man smiled. "Maybe you are mad for allowing a complete stranger into your home. After all, I am not human, I am a demon."

The master of the mansion stared at him, blue orbs wide in surprise at the outburst and sighed and shook his head. "Maybe I really am mad," he said before peering back up at the taller male and narrowing his eyes. "So let me guess; you're a demon who got into a fight with some greater being over something trivial and because of their strength your wounds are taking longer to heal than usual?" he asked, tone mocking and disbelieving until the male simply nodded.

"Yes, you are right on the dot, except over the trivial matter part. This matter was extremely important to me." The boy nearly slammed his head against the wall.

"You're crazy." He said. "Once your wounds are healed I'm taking you to an asylum."

"I do not lie," the male said, this time giving the boy a stern, hard look. The blue haired boy's breath nearly escaped him when he saw how serious the other was. Snapping his head back and forth, he growled.

"Fine, demon, so are you going to eat my soul or something now? Or are you waiting until after the bleeding stops?" he asked, deciding to be as serious as the man was pretending to be. He didn't believe the male one bit, but he was going to fight fire with fire.

"Welcome back, Young Master," a gruff voice said from behind the two, and the boy turned to see a blond man behind him, donning a chef's robe with an unlit cigarette hanging out of his mouth and a smirk on his face. The boy's hard glare softened as he looked at his employee.

"Bard, please help this…guest here to his room. Follow me," he said, walking away. Bard quickly ran to the mans side and threw his arm around his shoulder.

"Does this guest have a name?" he asked with a slight chuckle as the three walked down the corridors and towards the stairs.

"I do not," came the reply, and the boy merely huffed.

"What kind of person doesn't have a name?" he asked, and when the raven haired male opened his mouth to speak, the boy shook his head. "Don't say it."

Bard watched the exchange with confusion as they continued walking until they saw Mey-Rin leaving a room, nearly jumping out of her skin when she saw them.

"Oh! Young Master, you gave me a fright," she said, shaking a little while trying to calm her jumpy nerves. "A-anyways, the room is all done!"

The boy nodded and instructed Bard to put the guest on the bed and to fetch Tanaka and have him bring up the first aid kit. Mey-Rin followed after him to fetch a change of clothes and the two were left alone together again.

"Are you going to answer my question?" the boy asked. The man chuckled.

"It is true, I am a demon and we demons eat the souls of humans we form a contract with. However, you and I are not in such a situation, but quite the opposite. You have helped me by giving me a place to stay so that I may peacefully heal my wounds, and on top of that you were the first human to have showed kindness and consideration while I was out on the street." He paused. "In an attempt to show my appreciation, not only will I not eat your soul but I will grant you a contract-free wish."

The boy ran his slim fingers through his dull hair. "This is crazy, don't think for a second that I believe a word of what you're saying. What's a contract anyway?"

The demon smirked as he took off what was left of his shirt and set in down on the floor, examining his wounds and the lack of healing of them. "Choose what you want to believe, but whatever it is you desire then I shall grant it." He looked back up at the boy. "and a contract is what binds a human to a demon; the demon finds a soul worth consuming and offers the human a chance to grant their greatest desire in exchange for said soul. When the wish has been granted and their desires achieved, then the demon kills them and devours their soul." The boy looked at a loss for words, face showing traces of fear. "Do not worry, for I am offering you a contract-free wish. These a practically nonexistent to us demons, but for your kindness I think you have earned it."

The boy, of course, after a few more brief moments of silence, shakes his head. "Even if what you are saying is true, I am Ciel Phantomhive, heir to the Phantomhive fortune and estate. I have money, fame, and power. I don't need a wish from a demon, I make my own wishes and desires come true."

The demon frowned before smiling again, surprised at first but finding this decision very like the Young Master. "Do you know how many people would kill to be in your position?" he asked, and the boy shrugged.

"I don't care."

"Surely there is something you desire?"

"Nope."

"Ciel Phantomhive," the demon said, the name bringing a smile to his lips. It was perfect on his tongue, the boy in general was perfect. He always had been. "Do not be so stubborn, make a wish. No matter the size of it, I shall grant it for you. Anything, so long as it does not involve raising the dead. That tends to get quite messy."

The boy wanted to shout in annoyance, to make the annoying 'demon' shut up. "If you want me to grant a stupid wish so badly, then I want you to stay by my side."

The room fell silent, and the boy, realizing what he said, opened his cerulean eyes wide in embarrassment. "No, I mean-"

"So be it," the demon replied, causing the boy to freeze.

"What?"

"I said I will do it. I will stay by your side, obey you and only you, and do everything in my power to protect you." The boy watched him skeptically, his eyes wide at everything the demon was saying.

"I –I didn't ask for all of that!" he said. The man smiled.

"But if I am to stay by your side, these are things that must be done."

"I didn't mean it, you don't have to… I was just saying the first thing that popped into my head!"

"I am glad that you had me in your mind at the time."

"Not like that! I just— what about family?" the boy asked, looking for any way out of this situation.

"I have none," the demon replied.

"Wife? Girlfriend?" he asked.

"I am single."

"But… staying by my side…. You do realize how long that would be right? Forever."

"I really have no reason to not be able to grant your wish. Your forever and my forever are very different you see, so until the day you breath your last breath, I will be by your side." The boy groaned, realizing that he trapped himself. There was no way the 'demon' was going to let him make a new wish. And even if he didn't, there was no way this guy was really a demon so it didn't matter anyways in the long run. He would leave once his wounds were healed.

"Okay, enough with the joking."

"I do not joke, please believe me," came the reply. The boy huffed and crossed his arms.

"Whatever. We can talk more about this later. Anyways, I've told you my name, so tell me yours. It's rude to stay in someone's home and not even give them your name." the man relaxed on the bed a little more, leaning back on his arms as he looked over towards the beautiful boy.

"I don't have one, my masters who I make a contract with name me." The boy sighed.

"Well then, seeing as we haven't made a 'contract'," (he said that part with air quotations), "I'll let you use the name your last master gave you." He paused when the demon didn't say anything. "Well? What was it?"

Standing up from the bed despite the pain flooding through him, the demon stood in front of the boy and got down on one knee, ignoring the protests his body sent him. "If that is the case, then you, my Young Master, may call me Sebastian Michaelis."


	2. That Butler, Reasons

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed my first chapter :) I wasn't expecting so many for the first one! It made me happy!**

**So I'm happy to say that here's the second chapter, all about Ciel's background. I hope you like it! Please review~~ if you have a serious question please PM me!**

Ciel Phantomhive was the son of CEO Victor Phantomhive and his business partner Rachelle. Despite the hard job and long hours put into it, the parents always managed to make time for their only child, and the loving family happily lived in London, England, wealthy but content just to have each other. Victor often said that, no matter the issue, his family would always come before his job, a phrase that he kept true.

Victor was a tall, lean, and handsome man who was born and raised in the finest parts of London. He went to the best schools, the best University, had the best education that money could buy. However, despite his luxurious lifestyle, he was never arrogant, rude, or looked down on those less fortunate.

Rachelle was born in Brighton, growing up in the suburbs and among the less fortunate. She barely scraped by with the money her family had, and she managed by having a private education in her home. She couldn't afford to go to college. Her lifestyle, however, didn't make her the least bitter, angry with all the wealthier people around her. Instead, it made her grateful for what she had and kinder with those fortunate to have what she could not. However, despite her lack of proper education, she was very smart and beautiful, and when Victor first met her he knew she was the one. Strong, kind, and beautiful, it didn't take long for him to ask for her hand. This was against his parents' wishes, however, but he didn't care. The two were married on February 10th, 1995, and had their first and only child on December 14th, 2000, named Ciel, the French word for 'sky', which was the color of the baby's eyes.

Ciel was a happy child, always finding something to smile and laugh about. He was kind and headstrong like his mother, and stubborn when he needed to be like his father. His eyes were large, skin like that of porcelain, charming features that he was graced with by both parents. He was frail as well, asthma attacks a common thing growing up, similar to Rachelle, who also had asthma. Ciel was no stranger to a hospital, but he never let his poor condition get him down.

After the death of Victor's father due to a successful assassination attempt not even two years after Ciel was born, Victor inherited the toy company that his father owned, along with all of the dangers of it.

The economy was hitting London hard, and many companies had to shut down lest they go bankrupt or out of business. However, the Phantomhive company that had been around for generations continued to thrive. Their toys were well made and attractive, and despite the hard times remained cheap, so that even those less fortunate could afford to buy one for their children. Other CEOs had tried to convince the Fantom company to do the same to try to spare some of the lesser companies from having to shut down, but Senior Phantomhive had refused, and so he was assassinated with the hope that his death would cause the company to shut down. Unfortunately, Victor took over and along with his clever wife, they managed to make the Phantom Toy's company even bigger than it already was.

The assassin and the one who hired him were caught and put to jail for life, no possibility of parole. However, this didn't deter all of the companies who wanted to get the Phantomhives out of the way.

On December 14th, 2010, right before they were about to leave to return home to celebrate their son's 10th birthday, a fire started in one of the lower offices of the Phantom Toy's headquarters, and Victor and Rachelle were trapped on the top floor. Ciel, who had been waiting on the first floor for his parents to come down, got caught up in the frantic rush of people who were trying to leave the building for reasons he didn't know why. It wasn't until a woman grabbed his arm and pulled him outside did he realize why.

From the 20th floor up to the very top floor, the 24th floor, a fire was raging so violent that the whole sky turned a sickening black. Frantic and wanting to get back inside to save his parents, Ciel tried to push and shove his way through the crowd of crying and screaming people. Before he could get very far, however, large hands grabbed him from behind and pulled him to the road where a parked car sat, so shiny that even when turned away from the fire the boy could still see what was going on through the reflections. He was screaming and crying, thrashing against the unknown person who he assumed was one of his father's or mother's assistants trying to get him to safety that he didn't want. However, when the car sped away after he was thrown inside of it, Ciel realized that that wasn't the case.

During the following month, Ciel had spent his life in what he would describe as hell.

The man who had taken him turned out to be one of his father's competitors. Every day the boy was reminded of what had happened to his parents, through the newspaper, the radio, and sometimes the man would even put a TV up in the small room he kept the boy in to make him watch the events of what happened on his tenth birthday.

Ciel was fed very little and only once a day, and he was beaten daily by the business man or someone he hired to torture him. He would taunt the boy, saying that the cause of the fire was unknown and how he himself wished he could have been the one to start it. He would imitate the child's parents and how they must have looked when being burnt alive, something that would haunt the boy in his dreams for years to come. The man often talked about why he was doing this to the boy; he wanted to eliminate the competition by striking fear into the boy so that he himself wouldn't dare to inherit the company if he made it out alive. And what made things worse is that the man was smart; he always kept his face covered and he talked through a device that would mask what his real voice sounded like. So one month after he was released, thrown out into the snow in front of his house, Ciel had nothing he could tell the police.

He was weak, starving, badly beaten, but alive. Something his parent's weren't. He struggled to get up to his mansion, alert the servants of his presence, and tell the police what had happened, but he did. And in the end the Phantom Toys company was shut down.

The boy himself had changed. He became cold and silent, a harsh contrast to how he had been when his parents were alive. He fired all of his staff besides Tanaka, his father's loyal butler, and hired three new people who he picked based off of their strength to protect him rather for their skills. He challenged himself to get a higher education in secret, so he hired private tutors to come and teach him in the evening while he attended private school during the day. He kept himself closed off to the outside world for some time, not letting anyone see him preparing himself for what was to come.

On December 14th, 2011, Ciel had announced publically his plans to reopen Phantom Toys and how he was going to be the new CEO, taking after his father. Things were going to be done his way, and he was going to make the company even more profitable than his parents had.

Six months later, this statement had proved true. Phantom toys became the world's number one best selling toy brand, and the boy became hated by just about every other toy manufacturer on the market. Ciel was smart, possibly smarter than his own father had been, so he was able to guide through many obstacles and challenges with ease. And what made him a better CEO than his father was the fact that the boy was cold, not caring how something had to be done as long as it got done. He didn't feel compassion for those who had failed at life and were living on the streets, those who were dead inside because they lost everything. Ciel had been there before, and he survived. There was no reason why these people couldn't either.

Despite the enormous wealth his parents left behind for him, and the wealth that he himself was making, he didn't have access to any of it besides what he needed to pay the bills with. His Aunt, who had insisted that he live with her than on his own, was the one in charge of it. Every month she would allow him to take out a certain amount, even a little extra for spending purposes. This set up was what the bank decided to make sure that the child wouldn't go and spend it all on toys and games. Ciel was no ordinary boy, however, and found this set up rather insulting. Still, he didn't complain. It was safer this way, seeing as how many enemies he's made in such a short time, many after his money and some after his blood. And him, being so small for his current age of 11 years old, was a perfect target for kidnappers or thieves. Ciel was brains, not brawn.

He didn't let anyone take pity on him, he was above it. When his relatives would come and cry over him, hug him and apologize, he would brush it off. He cried for days after the accident of his parents' death before he realized tears didn't bring them back and only made the ones who hurt him feel pleasure. No, he wouldn't cry anymore.

It was December 12th, 2012 when Ciel did something he never thought he would do. Riding in his limo, Ciel rested his head on window as he looked out at all of the late night inhabitants of London. He was in a bad mood, as he always was around this time of year. The dancing snowflakes did little to calm his nerves, as he would remember how the little bits of ice happily danced to the ground on the day his parents died. Yes, he really hated snow.

However, among all the white he passed, there was a giant lump of black. He seemed to pass that lump in slow motion as well, for he noticed it was a man, eyes closed leaning back on the brick behind him. Something inside of Ciel stirred. He couldn't explain what it was, but it was a very familiar feeling in the pit of his stomach. He couldn't explain why he felt that way towards that man, or why he had ordered his driver to stop the car. But as he walked slowly up the snow-covered sidewalk and towards the spot where the man sat, covered in red blood that failed stand out on all the black he wore except for his white shirt and shredded pale chest, he only became more certain on the familiarity he felt towards the man.

So, he helped him, despite the man showing signs of delirium.

He couldn't blame the blood-red color of the man's eyes, for the doctor that he often went to for his frequent asthma attacks had red eyes as well, but maybe it was the way the man had composed himself, sitting in the snow with a smile on his face despite being badly injured, that made Ciel mentally question himself about whether the man was truly a demon like he claimed to be. Maybe it was the way the man looked back at him with the same familiarity that Ciel himself felt.

Or maybe it was because the man had the gull to wake him up at six in the morning.

"Good morning, Young Master," the calm and deep voice said as Ciel could hear the curtains in his large room part and the warmth of the sunlight beam down on his face, stirring him from his slumber.

Ciel quickly shot out of bed, seeing the 'demon' who he saved the night before standing at his bedside, now fully dressed in butler garb, smiling as he held onto a cart full of pastries and a tea kettle made out of his finest china. The blue haired boy was shocked, brain too tired to focus on what he was seeing. "W-what are you doing in here? Wearing that?" he asked, pointing to Sebastian's clothes. The demon smiled.

"These are the appropriate clothes for a butler to wear in this day and age." He looked down and examined himself. "My, how fashion has rarely changed for servants," he mused.

"You're not my butler, get out," Ciel growled. "Besides, you're injured. How do you think that would make me look letting an injured man serve me?" he asked.

Sebastian smirked. "I am granting your wish to stay by your side, follow your orders, and protect you in every way possible. I find these fitting tasks for a butler to achieve, so starting today, that is what I am." He reached over and grabbed the teapot, pouring a cup and handing it to the young CEO. "And please do not fret over me, I am a demon. My wounds, thanks to you, are already almost half way healed, more than enough to be able to serve you."

"That's impossible," Ciel replied crossly. "There's no way wounds like that could heal that fast."

"On a human, but not a demon." Sebastian replied. Ciel narrowed his eyes.

"You're still going on about that demon nonsense?" he asked. The raven haired male nodded.

"Of course, there is no reason not to, for that is what I am."

This was getting really tiring to Ciel, but he decided to let it drop for now. "Whatever. If you want to degrade yourself to being a servant, then be my guest," he said.

"Much obliged, sir," the demon replied, bowing slightly with a never wavering smile on his face. The boy sighed and shook his head.

"Anyways, if you're going to be a butler here then I suppose I should show you how to do your job. Luckily, you got me up early enough to show you around." He didn't sound very happy about it, though, and he hoped the man knew how annoyed his was with him. "You said your name was Sebastian Michaelis, right?" he asked. Sebastian nodded. Ciel didn't say anything for a few moments. "Sebastian Michaelis…" he said to himself, rather than the male across from him. The name sounded strange to him. Not foreign… but strange. Like he's heard it before. "Sebastian Michaelis…I could've picked better," he settled to say, receiving a small chuckle from said person in return.

"Of course," the butler said, amusedly. Ciel shook his head again at the person's reaction.

"Anyways, if you're going to be my butler, then you're taking over most of Tanaka's duties, seeing as he's getting old. Help me get dressed and I'll show you the things you'll need to do."

Sebastian got down on one knee again, similar to what he did last night, with his right hand over his heart. He's done this so many times, it feels so natural for him. "Yes, my lord," he said, the smirk never faltering from his lips, as he said the phrase that had been engraved in his brain from so many years ago.


	3. That Butler, Hungry

"Do you need help, Young Master?"

"No, I can get it."

"Let me fasten that for you."

"It's fine, I'll do it."

"Shall I put these on you?"

"I got it!"

Ciel stopped buttoning up his vest and, instead, glared up at the demon in front of him. "Sebastian, I think I can handle dressing myself. I'm not a baby, I'll be twelve tomorrow."

Sebastian sighed as he set the boy's socks down on the bed next to him. "Forgive me, Young Master, but I seem to recall not ten minutes ago you _asking_ me for my help." Sebastian was at a loss. Never before has he had a master who was so independent and self reliant. For the most part while the boy got dressed and ready for school, he ended up hovering around him helplessly and awkwardly.

The blue haired boy stood up and walked past the male and towards his large oak dresser, grabbing a strip of black and blue striped cloth. "This is what I need help with. Unlike most schools that use clip ons, my school uses real ties and I can never tie it right."

"I see," Sebastian said, grabbing the fabric from the small hand and wrapping it around the boy's neck gently, tucking it under the collar of the white button up shirt. "I am very grateful for being able to do at least this much for my Young Master." His ruby eyes locked onto the boy's cerulean ones, the boy seeming intent to stare at his every movement.

"What do I smell like to you?" Ciel asked suddenly, taking the butler by surprise.

"Why do you ask?" Sebastian replied, stopping his menstruations while he listened to you young male speak. Ciel narrowed his eyes but broke eye contact and looked away.

"You keep saying you're a demon and I remember last night you said you ate souls, so I was curious to how I smelt to you. My soul, that is," he said. This time, the demon smirked.

"Does the Young Master really wish to know what I think about his soul?" Sebastian asked, giving a slight yank on the tie before releasing it from his grasp. Ciel stepped back and felt his new butler's handiwork before turning and walking towards his bed, slipping on his socks silently.

"Not really," he muttered. "I can't imagine I smell very good at all when I think about the things I've been through… the things I've done."

Sebastian chuckled. "A corrupted soul is always the best kind, in my opinion." He said. "I have only seen one other soul as…delectable smelling as yours, corrupted and tainted with sin yet as pure as a white rose. Those are nearly impossible to find."

Ciel turned towards him. "So you would eat my soul the first chance you could?" he asked, and the demon smirked. Ciel smirked in return. "We aren't under a contract, so what's stopping you from eating my soul now?"

"My values," came the reply before the demon started chuckling, "though coming from a demon I suppose that means very little."

"Don't think I believe you about this whole demon thing yet," Ciel muttered halfheartedly. "Not until I have some proof." He slipped on his school shoes and walked towards his bedroom door. "And don't feel bad if your values mean little to me, I truly don't care about anyone's values besides my own. If I did, then I wouldn't be the CEO of the number one toy company on the market."

"That does bring me a little comfort," Sebastian said sarcastically as he followed his new master out the door and into the corridor. "I'm impressed that one as small as yourself has such a job." The boy scoffed, leading the demon down the corridor.

"It wasn't supposed to be mine yet, but the former CEO couldn't live long enough to hand it over to me properly, when I came of age or when he grew old enough to retire."

The cold, hard voice seemed to soften slightly, volume getting lower a notch or two. The demon couldn't see the child's face, but he could feel the emotions radiating off of him; sadness, despair. They were delicious emotions, and the demon couldn't help but smirk, mentally relieved for a moment that he was behind the boy so his face wouldn't be seen.

"I do not suppose that this CEO you are speaking of…" Sebastian trailed off, allowing the boy to continue for him.

"It was my father. He and my mother died in a fire at their office building up town, two years ago tomorrow."

"I see. Forgive me for mentioning it, especially since their death was on your birthday." the demon replied. Ciel stopped and turned around, looking up at the demon butler with a cold gaze.

"You don't really feel sorry for me, do you?" he asked.

"No," Sebastian replied truthfully and without hesitation. As a demon and a butler should to his master, he speaks only the truth or variations of it. The boy smiled, a trait that truly seemed foreign on the beautiful yet usually cold face of his.

"Good, because if you really did then I'd have to kick you out right here and now. I don't accept pity and I don't look back." He turned back around and continued walking. "I feel if they were still here, then my life would be purposeless anyways."

This statement, actually caused the demon to frown, but he didn't think now would be a good time to question it. The child himself seemed more than willing to let the topic drop there, as he began pointing out the rooms they passed and what their purposes were, the demon only listening half heartedly while his mind went back to what his master had said.

_Purposeless…that does not sound like the Young Master at all,_ he mused to himself.

* * *

"He's late," Ciel growled as he stood in front of the door leading out to his back yard. Sebastian stood beside the boy as he angrily chomped on a piece of toast Bard had made for him.

The two had finished the tour of the mansion, another servant named Finny ended up showing him most of the other areas apart from the second floor where the master slept, due to the boy needing to get ready for school. The blond, emerald eyed gardener stood beside the master and butler, hand raised to his chin.

"If the Young Master doesn't leave soon, you'll be late!" he said. "Do you want me to go with you?" he asked. Ciel sighed.

"I suppose you'll have to, seeing as I can't afford to waste anymore time here."

Sebastian had been listening to the two speak, confusion evident on his face. "Who, my lord?" he asked.

Ciel slipped on his coat and bundled it up. "My bodyguard Patrick. He walks me to and from school everyday. He's almost never late without calling though."

Sebastian smiled, seeing another opportunity to be able to do something. "Fear not, my lord, allow me to accompany you on your walk to school. You will be far safer with I, rest assured."

Ciel didn't say anything at first, simply glaring back and forth from the gardener to the butler, as if debating whether he should go with someone he knows and partly trusts or a demon. Finally, he realized that Sebastian had a point and sighed. "I don't care who goes, but we need to leave now."

"Mister Sebastian can go since it's his first day," Finny said brightly and Sebastian smiled and nodded.

"Very well, the let us be off, Young Master," he said, heading towards the back door. Mey-Rin stood beside the door and handed him a long black coat.

"Please use this to stay warm," she said, a slight dust of pink on her cheeks. The demon mentally rolled his eyes but outwardly nodded in gratitude.

"Thank you very much, Maylene," he said. The maid smiled.

"It's Mey-Rin, actually, Maylene was my great-great grandmother's name."

Sebastian gave another smile. "I see," he replied. Truthfully, he did. "I apologize for my mistake." He took the coat and slid it on, the temperature making no difference to his demon body anyways, and then stepped outside the back door. Ciel was two steps behind him, something Sebastian quickly corrected. "A butler should always walk behind his master."

"Whatever," the boy mumbled as he walked past the black clad man and onto the gravel steps leading to the side of the house.

"Why does the Young Master exit from the back of the house?" Sebastian asked.

"I don't want people to know where I live," he replied. The demon raised an eyebrow. This Ciel Phantomhive was truly paranoid.

"If walking to school is so much of a hassle that you need to leave from the back door and walk with a bodyguard, why not get driven in that car you brought me here in?"

"If we aren't bound by your so called 'contract', why do you insist on serving me? All I did was get your sorry butt out of the snow, which is something I'm sure many people have tried to do before I got there." Ciel bit back, eyes narrowing at his methods of getting to school being questioned. Sebastian was taken slightly aback by the response, but he wouldn't allow the child to see that. He merely flashed his charming smile.

"You are wrong, Young Master. Many people have walked by me while I laid injured in the snow, but not one had offered any assistance. You were the first, which is why I choose to help you grant your wish of always having someone by your side, regardless of having a contract or not."

Ciel stared at the demon for a few seconds longer before continuing down the long, brick sidewalk away from his large mansion. The neighborhood was one of the wealthiest ones in London, so most of the houses were very large and extravagant. Ciel's didn't stand out in particular, the color being a neutral hue, but it certainly was one of the largest. "You're a fool," the boy had said. "I said it was the first thing that came to mind, it wasn't what I really would have wished for. Who in their right mind would want that?" he asked, and the butler chuckled.

"You would. Even if you would not have said it out loud, I could tell just by what your soul was telling me." The demon paused. "Would you like me to tell you what I heard?"

"You truly are crazy." Ciel said as he shook his head. Sebastian smirked.

The two walked on in silence, not uncomfortable but not friendly either. The large houses slowly faded to large buildings, and as they walked past them the boy seemed to grow wearier, quickening his pace as the two passed alleys or other suspicious looking places. Sebastian noticed the smallest things the boy did, like glance from side to side as strangers walked by, clench his hands when a car drove too close to them on the street, and take a deep breath when they crossed the street. Sebastian found this all amusing despite his curiosity.

"Young Master seems very weary out here," he said mockingly. The boy shot him a glare.

"I'll have some people send you a death threat or two and see how well you like going outside," he said coldly. His voice was hushed, however, as there were pedestrians around them. The boy seemed to slow his pace down a little so that he was now walking step in step with the demon, their arms brushing from the close proximity. "It's the reason I walk to school; to show that I'm not afraid of whatever those fools send me."

Sebastian managed to choke down the laugh forming in his throat. This boy was something. Trying to act all fearless, a young boy in an adult world, yet inside he was a scared little child, willing to do whatever it takes like put himself in harm's way just to prove he wasn't. It was a well known sight to the demon, the small child within his grasp yet again. A very well known sight that Sebastian had once thought he would never see again.

"What's with that face of yours? It's irritating me," Ciel scolded as he looked up at the demon. Sebastian mentally twitched an eyebrow at how rude and arrogant this child could be, despite his position and trying to get closer to the demon out of fear for his life.

"I was thinking about how small and weak you really are. It is very amusing to me," the demon said, taking pride in the boy's sour expression, yet he still didn't move from his spot beside the raven haired male. "You remind me much of my old master."

"Did you eat him?" Ciel asked blandly, eyes focusing ahead of them.

For the first time that day, Sebastian frowned.

"No, I did not."

Ciel raised an eyebrow. "You made a contract with him, right? Why didn't you then?"

For a few moments, the ruby-eyed demon was silent. He hadn't thought about that night in a while, and for it to be so suddenly brought up…

"It is not important."

Ciel could have ordered the demon to tell him, but he chose not to. Yet. The blood colored eyes were empty, no trace of life in them. A painful subject touched upon… Ciel knew full well what that was like. He chose to continue on in silence, as close as he could possibly be to the demon's side as they crossed the final street and approached the gates of the large, four stories, one block in diameter school. The cement walls were grey and went straight up, rectangle windows lining the side of them. The gate surrounding it was large as well, the only way to open it was with someone inside pushing a button and allowing them to open.

"You can't come in here with me, so please head back to the mansion. If Patrick doesn't contact the mansion or anything, then school gets out at three. Wait here for me, okay?" he asked, his voice soft yet still stern. Sebastian wanted to question why the boy was being a little bit less rude, but decided to let it slide. He gave a small bow. He knew that schools today didn't allow extra people to follow around their students, and though he would have preferred to have stayed by the Young Master's side in case he needed him or was in danger, he couldn't. It truly didn't matter in the long run, because they didn't have a contract or anything and Sebastian wasn't fully obliged to protect the boy. He _chose_ to, though not for the reasons he had told the child.

"Yes, my lord," he answered flawlessly.

* * *

In reality, Sebastian was starving. He hadn't had a meal in over a hundred years, choosing to only eat high quality souls instead of messily consuming anything he could. However, there was and still is only one top of the line, highest quality soul that he needed to consume first before he even thought about consuming another one.

Ciel Phantomhive's.

The demon was welcomed back to the mansion when he stepped into the back door, and immediately walked straight up the extravagant staircase and towards his new master's room.

Everything was his; the scent, the style, it just screamed out Ciel. It amused the demon that, after all these years of searching and waiting, though in reality it only felt like an instant, he had finally found the boy again.

They weren't bound by contract but he didn't care. It wouldn't be long before the boy made one, then he would truly have his Young Master back. The boy was smart, all those years ago, managing to somehow change Sebastian's mind and break the contract, but the years have changed the demon. He wouldn't go soft this time, he wouldn't waste the second chance he'd been given. He would have his meal. Ciel Phantomhive wouldn't escape again. The soul that he gave up on a whim would soon be his again, and when the game came to an end he would be the victor this time.

* * *

**A/N**

**Confusing, right? Don't' worry, any questions regarding the actual plot should be answered here soon. This chapter might seem boring but it leads into some good stuff, I promise. I hope you enjoyed it, and I'll see you next chapter! Please review and tell me what you think!**


	4. That Butler, Sleeping

"_The birds are waiting for their chance. When this is over, give them my body."_

"_Young Master is very kind."_

* * *

"Ciel!"

The blue haired boy opened an eye to peek at the girl who stood in front of him, a pout planted firmly on her face as she crossed her arms. "Yes, Lizzy?" he asked, stifling a yawn.

"Ciel, you weren't paying attention to me! It's not nice to fall asleep when someone's talking to you!" she scolded.

Eliza Middleford, commonly called 'Lizzy', was one of the closest people to Ciel, someone he would actually call a 'friend', as they've known each other since childhood. She was cheerful and bright, a harsh contrast to the boys own sour and gloomy personality, but she was pure and only had the best intentions for him, willing to try to be as close to him as possible, despite how he always pushed everyone away.

Ciel and her father are business associates, so they often saw each other at gatherings and whatnot.

"Sorry, what were you saying?" he asked, and Lizzy scratched her blonde head donning two twin tails and sighed.

"I asked how you are feeling today. I didn't think you'd be back so soon… I mean….that attack was bad. You haven't been to school in days."

"It wasn't that bad, I just slept at the hospital for a while and the doctor gave me some pills. It's nothing I can't handle." Lizzy didn't look reassured, but she gave him a small smile and grabbed his hand.

"Don't push yourself, okay?" she said. Ciel mentally rolled his eyes and nodded, fidgeting a little from the skin to skin contact. He didn't like being touched. Eliza sighed and walked up to the front of the room, sitting down at her desk and Ciel put his head back down on his.

It was always around this time of year that his asthma attacks got worse due to many factors; Stress, the weather, his parent's death anniversary, etc. The doctor had insisted that the boy stay at the hospital longer, but Ciel left anyways. He was in the hospital at least once a week, so he didn't like to be there longer than he needed to.

It wasn't just asthma attacks either, panic attacks were very common around this time as well.

Ciel mentally cursed himself as he slowly drifted off to sleep how weak he must have seemed to Sebastian. He could deal with death threats; he gets about three a week from his competitors and other low business owners going bankrupt. They don't mean anything, they're just a lame attempt to scare him out of the job. One thing Ciel dreads the most is breaking down and having a panic attack in the middle of the street. That's one disability that he wants to keep hidden from the world.

The teacher droned on about some subject that Ciel already knew about, so he found it safe to close his eyes and let the deep, monotone voice lull him to sleep.

"_Will it hurt?"_

"_A little. I will try to make it as painless as possible."_

Dreams were foreign to Ciel. All he saw when he closed his eyes was fire. All he felt was excruciating pain from his month in hell. The scars carved on his body buried beneath the fabric he wore burned to alert him of their presence, even in sleep. However, what the boy saw now was not fire, but complete and utter darkness. He didn't hear the sounds he imagined his parents making as they were burned alive, the chuckling of the man who kidnapped him, or the cracking of the fire that turned the sky black… he heard himself talking, voice quiet yet stern, along with another voice, male, but one he couldn't recognize right away. His voice in this dream sounded old; not age wise but old _fashioned_. _Proper_.

"_No. Make it as painful as you can. Engrave the pain into my soul."_

The scars stopped burning, a cooling sensation washing over him as he simply stared into the darkness, the voices fading away. Even the darkness seemed to disappear as the boy slipped even further into unconsciousness, one phrase echoing in his mind before everything fell silent.

"_Yes, my lord."_

* * *

It had been less than two hours since Sebastian had dropped off his master, and already he ruled over the staff with an iron fist.

"Honestly, it is truly amazing how this mansion has been kept running, seeing as the servants are a bunch of incompetent fools," he said to himself. When he got back from the school and left his master's bedroom, he found all of the best dishware to be destroyed, dropped by the maid Mey-Rin, the garden in shambles thanks to the gardener Finny, and the kitchen had been blown up somehow because of Bardo. Honestly, Sebastian shouldn't have been as surprised as he was. Once a fool always a fool.

"I trust you can clean up after yourselves, correct?" he asked the sullen servants who had just received a firm scolding. Despite being new, they gave in to his demands rather quickly. It must have felt natural to them, Sebastian would muse to himself.

Suddenly, the phone rang, and Sebastian walked over to the device, allowing the others to rush about to do their jobs, and picked up the receiver. "Phantomhive Residence," he stated cooly into the phone.

"**Hello, this is Mr. Wordsworth, Ciel's teacher**," a male voice said. "**I'm calling to inform you that Ciel fell asleep in class today, and he isn't waking up. Now I know he was released from the hospital yesterday, so we're willing to let it go seeing as he must be very tired. We were surprised he even showed up for school today, to be honest**." The man laughed.

_The hospital? _Sebastian thought, raising an eyebrow.

"Forgive me, I am new to this household. Can you tell me what the Young Master was in the hospital for?" the demon asked. The man stopped laughing.

"**Of course! He had a very severe asthma attack, I was told. He'd been out of school all last week and today was his first day back**."

"I see," Sebastian said. Asthma. Surely that would have been nice to know earlier, but of course, something Sebastian should have expected. "I will be over there shortly to pick him up."

**"No need**," Mr. Wordsworth replied. "**I was calling to inform you that we've contacted the man in Ciel's file under the emergency contact section. His name is Patrick. You know him, right? I mean, you said you were new**."

"I have heard about him, he was supposed to pick up the Young Master today and take him to school, but he didn't show up. I have not seen him personally."

Sebastian's eyebrow twitched. Surely he would need to have a talk with his master once he got home to prevent any future surprises.

"**Oh, well we called him and he came over right away and picked him up. The man was short and lanky, definitely not someone I would picture working for a kid like Ciel**," the teacher said, laughing again.

Something stuck Sebastian as odd. Short and lanky were definitely not traits that Ciel would trust his life with. Judging by the way the child acted earlier when walking to school, he would have a tall, obviously well kept and capable man to guard him.

The doorbell rang and Finny's voice rang through the mansion. "Mister Patrick is here!"

Sebastian paused for a second before speaking back into the phone. "Thank you for informing us, I believe he just arrived." Without another word, he hung up the phone.

Sebastian walked into the front room where Finny and Mey-Rin stood, talking to a tall, dark haired and grey eyed man. For a second, Sebastian thought Finny was confused, and this was not Patrick who was described earlier as being 'short and lanky'.

"Where were you this morning, Mister Patrick? Young Master was upset you didn't show up and almost made him late for school." The man had wavy, neatly tripped hair and a handsome face with a slight stubble on his chin.

"I apologize, on my way here I was harassed by a gang and during the fight I lost my cell phone, so I couldn't call Ciel to tell him I'd be late. By the time I got my bearings I realized it was well past when he should be at school and figured he'd had someone else take him, so I came here to inform everyone else. I'm terribly sorry, my actions are unfit of a bodyguard."

The servants all reassured him that the Young Master would forgive him, but Sebastian merely stared silently.

If this man was Patrick, then who was it that picked up his master?

"Mister Patrick, my name is Sebastian Michaelis, the new butler of the Phantomhive household." Sebastian said smoothly, managing a smile as he approached the man who was about the same height as him. Patrick smiled.

"Nice to meet you, Mister Sebastian," he said, shaking the butler's hand. The demon pulled away, his expression still holding the smile but inwardly he was serious.

"Can you tell me what any of the gang members looked like?" he asked. He wouldn't tell the servants about the incident. It would only create useless panic that would only slow Sebastian down. Patrick raised his hand to his chin.

"They were all a bunch of tough looking guys, clad in suits." He went silent for a few moments. "I didn't get a very good look, but there was a shorter man in the background who seemed to be their leader."

Sebastian nodded, having heard all he needed to hear. "Thank you, Mister Patrick. I am glad you are unharmed. Now, please excuse me." And with that, he brushed past the man and walked right out the door.

He ran quickly down the street, trying to get away from pedestrian eyes.

_It is only my first day and already the Young Master had managed to get kidnapped, _he sighed to himself. Despite the humor he tried to put into it, the situation was more dire than usual.

A contract was a bond between a demon and it's master. The closer the contract is to the eye the stronger the bond. The contract, however, also assures that the master, the prey, can't escape from the demon. No matter where they are in the world, they can be found. No place is too far or too wide that a demon can't find their contractor. Sebastian knew all if this first hand, having made many contracts before.

Ruby eyes averted down to his white gloved hand, narrowing, his pupils slitting and the crimson color giving off a demonic glow.

This Ciel Phantomhive didn't have a contract, however, so there was no way of knowing where he was.

* * *

Ciel's whole body hurt, stiff and sore from thick rope bounding him.

How did this happen? One minute, he heard his teacher say that they were calling someone to come pick him up, and the next thing he knew he woke up in the back of a speeding car, arms and legs bound by itchy rope digging into parts of his exposed skin. He was blindfolded, so he couldn't see his surroundings, but he knew where he was by the sounds he heard; the engine revving, honking in the distance, the low hum of wheels as they sped along pavement, it wasn't hard to guess. Especially by the feel of leather under him.

Panic started to rise in the small boy, as this scene, though he couldn't see it, was just like the scene on the day of his birthday, two years ago tomorrow.

The day his parents died.

Flashes of that day appeared in Ciel's mind, his hands started to tremble and his breathing quickened. His heart raced and he clenched his teeth. He needed to calm down, he couldn't afford to be weak in a situation like this and risk having some kind of attack. The boy had just left the hospital yesterday and had no interest in returning so soon, if he made it out of this.

It wasn't very often Ciel got kidnapped; he had always kept himself heavily guarded whenever he ventured out outside, and he had his servants to protect him while he was home. If fact, Ciel hadn't been taken hostage since _that_ day.

He decided to hold still, pretending to be asleep while he sorted through his thoughts. Mentally, he ran a list of all his major competitors who could have done something like this. Needless to say, the list was long. He had received many threatening letters about this sort of thing happening, but no one was actually stupid enough to put their addresses or names on them, so pinpointing a specific person was difficult. Then there was the business with his other job…

The car rounded a corner and Ciel heard an intake of breath from across from him. Someone was back there with him and probably watching his every move. He narrowed his eyes from behind the fabric and mentally choked whatever deity was watching him and making his life hell. He shifted in his spot, forcing his breath to remain slow paced so whoever it was would think he was still sleeping.

There had to be a way to contact someone…anyone. Patrick, Bardo, heck, even Sebastian would work. If that man was a demon like he claims to be, then surely he'd be able to find him easily, right?

A cell phone rang, and it took a few seconds for Ciel to realize it wasn't his. A beeping could be heard and Ciel gave a fake, sleeping groan and rolled over so that he would feel more at ease to think and listen without his face being watched.

"Yeah?" a voice said. It was deep, gruff, definitely an older man. "Yeah I have him. You're lucky because it was nothing but luck that we managed to grab his phone. Are you sure this is him though? He looks too small and scrawny to be the CEO of a fortune five-hundred company." There was a pause.

_So this man isn't behind the kidnapping, he's just following orders? _Ciel thought to himself.

"Yes, I know. I'm on my way, we should be there in about forty-five minutes."

The man gave a disapproving grunt as Ciel heard the phone snap shut.

_Must have been hung up on, _the boy mused. But wait, he mentioned something about a getting someone's cell phone. Whose? There was only one person that the school called whenever he needed to be picked up and that was…

Ciel jumped at the realization which caught the attention of the man watching him.

"Awake now?" the voice asked, already knowing the answer. Ciel gave a low growl.

"What did you do to Patrick?" he asked, and laughing filled the backseat of the car.

"I'd be more worried about yourself now."

Ciel actually laughed at this statement. The man wanted him to be scared, and that was an even bigger reason not to be. He rolled over and managed to get himself up into a sitting position, trying to appear stronger than he felt. "Why should I be? You have no power over me, you're a pawn that man who was on the phone is playing. You don't scare me."

The man was silent, and Ciel couldn't tell if it was from anger or something else. Finally, more chuckling could be heard as the body shifted on the seat. "You should be scared, Ciel Phantomhive, because my boss isn't the only one out for revenge."

Ciel opened his mouth to speak when the man cut him off. "I told my boss I'd be there in forty-five minutes. From where we are now, it only takes ten minutes to get there."

* * *

**A/N**

**So I don't like to use OC's, but as you can see this story takes place at the end of season one of the anime. Therefore, I'm trying to use anime only characters, but if I need someone else then I might have to steal one from the manga. **

**The Kuroshitsuji DS game is fair game, though, seeing as it takes place right after the Jack the Ripper arc. In fact, I've already introduced Patrick who is a character from that game. I just love him so much! So if you see a name you don't recognize, you can assume it's a DS game character. You should really play it. I started a walkthrough story on it but it isn't that popular so I'm taking it down.**

**Also, you might have noticed that there are some names spelled incorrectly like "Victor" instead of "Vincent", "Rachelle" instead of "Rachel", and in this chapter the teacher is based on Wordsmith from the manga and Eliza is obviously Elizabeth. It's because, as I'm sure you can tell by now, this takes place in modern times and everyone besides Sebastian is either a reincarnation or a descendant of the original characters. Most of the names are different because I think It'd be nearly impossible for everyone to have the same exact name and the same role as they did over a hundred years ago. **

**And you might have noticed Mey-Rin's name used to be Maylene, what her name is usually translated as. I made it the original Mey-rin's name from the Victorian era and Mey-Rin is a descendant of her. In reality, I see a lot of people fighting over what her name actually is, and when reading a chapter of the murder case arc, I noticed on the list of suspects that Mey-Rin's name was indeed spelled Mey-Rin, which is something Yana Toboso had written herself. So, the English translation isn't wrong, her name is infact Mey-Rin. So like I've seen on some other stories on this sight, I don't want to see anyone complain about it. Thank you!**

**So yeah, with my rant over (this is only the fourth chapter, I shouldn't even have a rant yet but it just popped into my mind) I hope you'll review and tell me what you think! Poor Ciel, how will Sebastian find him? Who is that man who kidnapped him?**

**See you next chapter! :)**


	5. That Butler, Savior

**I feel I should put a warning up for this chapter, just to be safe.**

**There is a non-graphic pedophile scene (I swear it really isn't that bad) and a lot of mentions about God. If you are a religious person please do not be offended, it's just a story. These are not my beliefs but they were in my story plans for this chapter so please bear with it. I promise the whole story wont be like this chapter.**

* * *

When faced with difficult and life scarring moments in your life, one often questions the existence of God.

"_**God had abandoned me." "Why hasn't He helped me?" "Why does He let me suffer?" **_

The day of his 10th birthday, the day his parents had left this world, Ciel had the same questions in his mind. The month afterwards, the questions still remained unanswered so Ciel just abandoned the notion of God altogether. Surely if there was a God, he wouldn't break up an innocent family like that. He wouldn't let a small child who had not wronged suffer abuse and torture daily. When he called out for help, he would have been answered. He wouldn't have let him live while everyone and everything important to him had perished.

He wouldn't have left him alone.

Ciel never allowed himself to feel lonely. He had long since come to the conclusion that being by yourself was the best thing. He avoided others whenever possible and continued living out his life either at school or at home, managing two jobs, never touching anyone else or contacting them on his own free will besides his servants when he needed something. He was never lonely, because loneliness was a feeling, and all of Ciel's feelings were carved away, leaving behind the many scars that plagued his figure. He never allowed himself to be lonely, because everyone around him would be killed if they stayed by his side.

Yes, being alone was much better.

The car stopped and Ciel could feel a large hand roughly grab the back of his collar, hoisting him out of the car. "We're here," the man said as Ciel felt himself being picked up and hoisted over his shoulder. "I'm going to enjoy the next half hour," the voice said beside Ciel's ear, making the child shiver. Being hung upside down, the blindfold over the boy's eyes fell off and, after squinting through the bright light, he was finally able to make out his surroundings. Currently, it looked as if they were in some sort of garage. The space was big enough to hold about six vehicles, the concrete ground having spots with oil stains scattered around. Only one dark blue vehicle was in there now, which Ciel guessed was the one they arrived in. Shelves lined the walls with various items on them; tools, pictures, etc. The smell of exhaust burned Ciel's nose.

"Oh, your blindfold fell off," the man said, looking down at the ground. Ciel wasn't in the position where he could see his face though. "No matter, you won't survive my boss anyways, so I don't care if you see my face."

Ciel hadn't said anything since talking to the man earlier in the car, so he didn't say anything now. The man threw him down on the concrete, earning a small pained grunt, but that was it. Ciel's arms and legs were still bound, so he couldn't rub the aching spot on his side from the impact, much to his annoyance. He winced a little and watched the retreating back of the man as he walked to the far left corner of the garage. He was short, thick, with platinum blond hair. The man bent down and lifted up a latch, revealing a door in the floor Ciel didn't notice before.

"Bring him here," the man ordered, and Ciel felt another pair of arms wrap around his frame as he was hoisted up over yet another shoulder. This time, however, he was able to catch a glimpse of this person's face. It was another man, though taller and stronger, seemed to be more of a lackey. He brought Ciel closer to the door that the other man was already heading down, steps leading into darkness.

Panic, once again, began to fill the boy. It was less frightening with the blindfold on.

He had to get out, he didn't even want to know what that sick person wanted to do with him and he hoped he wouldn't find out. His arms began to feel heavy against his sides and his breathing quickened, a wave of nausea coming over him. Everything around him started to blur, seeming to be farther away as well.

The beginnings of a panic attack.

* * *

Sebastian lept from roof to roof, moving so fast that he was barely visible to the human eye. He had tried to follow his master's scent starting from his school, but it was quickly lost due to the other scents of the children there. He managed to pick up fragments of it, but he lost it again it after leaving the school, telling the demon that the child was in a car that was moving pretty fast. This task was proving to be tiresome and he wished the boy would have made a contract already so that he could find him faster. For the hundredth time in as many seconds, Sebastian glanced down at his gloved hand again.

Since the day he killed the old Ciel Phantomhive, the symbol showing their Faustian contract that was stained the back of his hand had ceased to exist. It disappeared, leaving his pale skin smooth and unblemished. It was troublesome, especially during times like these.

Something clenched at Sebastian's insides and he frowned. Since that day over a hundred years ago, Sebastian had felt something different. He couldn't explain it; just that he didn't like it. It was foreign to him. It was Ciel's fault; He did something to the demon without being noticed, Sebastian didn't know what, and when the day came and he was finally able to collect the boy's soul, the contract disappeared and he still had nothing to show for it. No soul consumed… Nothing.

Ciel Phantomhive had outwitted a demon. Maybe it was his plan from the beginning, but when Sebastian leaned down to consume the soul he so thought he desired, he looked once more into the ocean blue eyes that slowly closed in anticipation and felt that clutching feeling squeezing his stomach, and, despite trying to ignore it, he found that he couldn't eat the boy's soul.

This Ciel, however, was different then his Ciel. Though they shared the same soul, looks, name, and personality, they didn't have the same memories. And without those memories, getting revenge on the boy and taking the soul that was rightfully his seemed pointless.

There was one thing that might help in this situation, but Sebastian needed to find the right time to give it to him. First he had to concentrate on finding his little master before he possibly perished.

His scent was lost towards the east, so that was the direction Sebastian was currently heading. His senses were all open, trying to pick up any sound or trace of the boy, but found none. However, as soon as he thought that, a voice seemed to echo inside his head.

_S…S-Sebastian!_

Sebastian stopped running and froze, a look of shock adorning his face.

Impossible. That was unmistakably his Young Master, but there was no way he should have been able to hear his voice in his head. They didn't have a contract!

Sebastian ripped his white glove off his left hand and looked down at the skin.

It was still white, plain, unmarred. So then how could he have heard…

There was no time to think about that now. Sebastian could find him easily now, his voice creating a trail inside the demon's head that he could follow. He wasn't too far.

Without another thought, Sebastian was off.

* * *

Ciel squeezed his eyes shut and focused on his surroundings. He was in a chair now, in the middle of a plain room, the single light from above him barely illuminating the room.

_Chair…chair…light…light…wall…floor… _He kept repeating these things in his head. It was a trick he learned during one panic attack that if you focused on real things around you, it calmed you down. It showed you that things were real. He breathed in and out, and slowly his muscles untensed and he felt a wave or relief rush over him. This was a small one, hopefully he didn't have a bigger one later.

"Are you finished yet?" the man asked, and Ciel glared up at his kidnapper whose features he could now see clearly and who he knew right away. The dull-haired boy's glare hardened into daggers and the man visibly flinched. "That look isn't very cute," he man said, giving a nervous laugh before gaining more confidence and stepping closer to the child. "I'll tell you again; sign over your inheritance to me. It's not like you'll need it where you'll be going," he smirked. Ciel growled.

"Arnold Trancy, consecutive owner of Arnold's Cakes and Designs, a medium sized business in the center of London. You've managed to export your goods to four countries so far; America, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, and are currently working on setting up shop in Japan. However, your reputation currently took a downturn as you were charged with sexually assaulting a minor male, am I correct?" the boy asked, a smirk forming on his features. Arnold glowered at him, crystal blue eyes glowing in fury.

"You've done your homework," he growled. "Though my business isn't stretched as far out into as many countries as yours, my personal record is certainly much, much cleaner than yours."

"Why would you be willing to kidnap me? I'm not in the confectionary business yet." Ciel asked, ignoring the last comment. The man smirked.

"Yet is the keyword. You will me, so why not eliminate the competition before the race starts?" he asked. Ciel's face didn't change.

"You're just like a dog, obeying commands to get a treat," he said, and suddenly a vicious sting crossed his face, sending his head jolting in pain. Arnold slapped him.

"You brat," he said. "If you don't sign over your inheritance from your filthy parents then I'll kill you here and now, screw the punishment I'll get from my boss later."

Ciel looked back at the man, vision blurry but still managing to feign confidence and smile. "You must be stupid if you think they'll give a twelve year old boy power over his money." He said coldly. "My aunt has current possession of it, and she's much more scary then your boss is, I'm sure."

"You run such a large business and they don't even give you control over your own money?" the man sneered. "You're lying, you worthless sack of—"

"Resorting to namecalling now, are we?" Ciel asked. He knew he was taunting a crouching tiger, but he never backed down to anybody. "Using such childish tactics is already admitting defeat."

This time, he was punched in the stomach, letting out a grunt of pain.

"You should die here and now," he growled, venom dripping in his voice. "You're nothing but an orphan who should have died in that fire like your worthless parents." Ciel narrowed his eyes as he looked back up at Arnold and the man smirked. "I wonder what their faces looked like as they were burning alive. You know what I hear?" he asked and Ciel didn't answer, fuming at everything this vile beast was saying. The man smirked wider. "I heard that someone started the fire intentionally. I wonder if that's true…?" he said, trailing off as Ciel let out an uncharacteristic shout of anger.

"If you know something, spit it out!" He said. "Spit it out before I make you!"

The man looked boredly at the boy then at his watch. "We still have ten minutes and I've hardly had the chance to break you." He took another step closer and Ciel struggled against his bounds, wanting to lash out and attack the man.

"You can hit me all you want, but I'm not going to give you the satisfaction of screaming or crying," he said darkly. "You aren't worth it. You're lower than the ash beneath my boot from _that_ day." He growled.

"It's okay," Arnold shrugged. "I have other ways to break you," he said, reaching down and caressing the side of Ciel's face gently. "I'll make this quick."

Ciel froze as the man gently touched him. A sickening feeling welled up in the pit of his stomach and he felt like he was going to vomit.

"W-what do you think you're doing?" he asked, jerking his head away. Arnold grabbed him by the hair and forced his head back.

"Whatever I want," he replied, leaning forward and laying small kisses on the boy's neck. "This kind of thing happened during the time you were kidnapped, right?" he asked, his kisses turning more hungry as he tugged on the collar of Ciel's uniform to pull it down further.

Ciel was thrashing wildly now, both from the disgusting touches from the pedophile and from the memories from his month in hell flooding into him. He started shaking, breathing becoming a labored chore as he tried to hold down his breakfast. He couldn't let this go on, he needed someone. Anyone. Arnold's hand began to wander to the opposite side of Ciel's neck and he bit down on the sensitive flesh above the collarbone, causing the child to let out a small cry of pain.

It was true; the man who kidnapped him had done this and more, things Ciel would never speak about out loud ever again. His pride died that day, along with his belief in God. The reason he didn't like to be touched or touch others.

The middle aged hand roamed down and rested on Ciel's thigh, and by this time the boy was panting heavily, breathing deeply as he felt his stomach contents travel up his throat. He was shaking extremely bad now, something Arnold seemed to take pleasure in. His eyes were clenched shut tightly as he thought back to that time, how he would call for someone to save him and no one would. No one could hear him.

_**I will stay by your side, obey you and only you, and do everything in my power to protect you.**_

_**I do not lie.**_

Without thinking, Ciel threw his head back. "S…S-Sebastian!" he called out. He didn't know why he did, he just felt like he should. He felt that the only person who could help him was the crazy person who thought he was a demon. Arnold laughed in his neck before pulling back.

"You think someone can help you? No one knows you're here." He laughed merrily, tossing his aged head back. "No one—"

His words were cut off as an arm was driven through his torso, some blood splattering on Ciel, who merely sat still in shock. Arnold fell to the ground gasping like a fish out of water. A black clad man stood behind him, and it took a few seconds for Ciel to register that it was, indeed, Sebastian.

"Sorry I am terribly late, My Lord." He said, bowing. "It is terribly hard to track someone when you do not have a contract."

Ciel didn't say anything at first, and instead tried to regain control of his breathing. "Why…are you here?" he asked and Sebastian smiled. "Did you not call out for me?" he asked. Ciel's eyes widened in disbelief and Sebastian continued. "And on top of that, did I not promise to grant the wish I heard your soul making?"

Arnold gasped from the floor in front of Ciel, and Sebastian mercilessly rammed his foot in his gut. "You wanted someone to stay beside you until the end," he said, giving the man another kick to the head. "You wanted someone who would obey you and never lie to you," he said, picking up the bloody and dying Arnold and tossing him to the back of the room, him hitting the wall with a sickening thud. "You wanted someone who would protect you," he continued, leaning forward and gently ripping apart the rope that bound Ciel. "And lastly, Young Master, you wanted someone who wouldn't die before you. These are the things that your soul told me."

Ciel was still silent as he moved his stiff arms and legs, standing up from his spot on the chair warily. His head was bowed as he discreetly tried to fix his collar to hide the marks he knew the disgusting man made. Sebastian raised an eyebrow as seeing this. "Are you hurt, Young Master?" he asked, and Ciel shook his head.

"Let's go home," he said, walking towards the stairs when he fell to the ground. Sebastian caught him just in time and scooped him up in his arms.

"You are a terrible liar, Young Master," he mused. Did you have an asthma attack which you have failed to mention to me earlier?" he asked.

"Panic attack," Ciel murmured, stiffening slightly at being touched but letting it go seeing as he was too exhausted to walk. Sebastian sighed.

"You are full of surprises," he said, shaking his head. "Nonetheless, let us be off. It is still early outside but I am sure you have no objections to going home and resting, right?" he asked, and Ciel shrugged, leaning his head down on the demons shoulder carefully, not used to even more contact but his head hurt from where he was struck, and he was very tired. Sebastian smiled as he looked down at the boy, eye catching a fresh bite mark above his collarbone that he didn't see there earlier. His eyes narrowed.

"Young Master, what did he do to you down there exactly?" he asked, and Ciel sighed.

"Nothing that hasn't been done to me before so don't worry, I'm fine," he said. He knew Sebastian must have seen the mark, and he wanted to stop the soon to be embarrassing conversation before it even started. The demon smiled and nodded, but inside he was a little unsettled. He knew the master didn't want to talk about something like that, so he was willing to let it slide. But hearing that it happened before disturbed him and he couldn't fathom why.

_Looks like no matter what life he is in my Master is doomed to suffer._ He thought, a smile forming on his lips. This should make his soul twice as delectable.

He said that, though he felt that familiar clenching in his stomach again.

Ciel laid down in his bed, having not said a word since he and Sebastian left the garage he was molested in. He felt dirty and took a bath instantly, Sebastian offering to help but he denied it, not wanting the demon to see anymore unnecessary scars. However, no matter how hard he scrubbed his still couldn't fight the images in his head back, both from today and two years ago. He sighed. It was just something else to add to his list of reasons why his life sucked.

Still, it could have been worse if Sebastian hadn't shown up. If Arnold didn't care about what punishment his boss would give him if he killed Ciel, then imagine how much farther he was willing to go.

Ciel had questioned his belief in God many times since the incident earlier, because, if there were demons, then surely there was a God? He would call out to be saved from his torment, to ask why, and all those times he never got a response. Maybe he was given up on.

Today, however, Ciel called out and he had been answered. He called out for someone to save him from his torment, and the response wasn't from the almighty God. No, it couldn't be farther from that. He wasn't saved by anything holy or almighty, anything from heaven.

The savior he had called out to and responded was a demon named Sebastian.

* * *

**A/N**

**I got so many reviews last chapter that I uploaded this one faster than usual. Keep up the good work! I'm so happy!**

**I hope this chapter wasn't too graphic or offending to anyone, I mean i think there was worse in the actual manga. If so you have my apologies and you can expect the next chapter to be more light and happy. Well, with ciel it's never really that happy haha. But you get the point.**

**So I wonder what was wrong with Sebastian and why he couldn't eat Ciel's soul the first time…? Any guesses?**

**And it's possible Ciel's parents were murdered…I wonder how this will affect future things. And if they were, who murdered them? Who is Arnold's boss?**

**I hope to see you next chapter! Tell me what you think!**

**Oh, and here's a youtube video I made dedicated to this story. I made it before I even uploaded the first chapter, so please watch it! **

**youtube . com / watch?v=19IuysK94Zs without the spaces. The title of this story is based on the song so maybe when you listen to it you'll understand a little more :)**

**ONE MORE THING I PROMISE!**

**I am in need of a beta still, and rereading chapters to my other stories and all the mistakes i've made, i could really use one. Especially for my three main stories with the anime's Ouran High School Host Club, Kuroshitsuji, and Soul Eater. If you don't mind shounen-ai and are interested, please PM me :) you get access to all of my recent chapters before anyone else haha and when i get lazy you can punch me in the face. i dont care :D**


	6. That Butler, Silent

"Sebastian, let's go out," Ciel said, emerging from his room for the first time since the incident yesterday.

Sebastian had been working on preparing a fitting breakfast for the young CEO, not just a simple piece of toast that the boy had grown accustomed to. The child was so skinny already and Sebastian hadn't had the chance to really see how much he ate considering the boy had refused to come out of his room for the rest of the day.

The butler had gone up several times to check on the boy who seemed content to ignore him and simply stare up at his ceiling, seemingly lost in thought. Sebastian had no idea about what nor did he really want to know. He had expected something like this to happen, after all; the boy had undergone another trauma on top of the trauma he went through two years before. The boy himself didn't say anything about it, but Sebastian didn't need to hear the words spoken.

Today was the day of Ciel's birthday, along with the anniversary of his parents' death. And when questioned about the hideous bite mark above the boy's collarbone that the scum Arnold Trancy had made, the boy had stated that it happened before. Sebastian wasn't foolish enough that he couldn't put two and two together and realize that the boy had undergone something similar to what his past carnation went through, only there was no cult involved, no body died, and the boy had made it out by himself.

Unlike the previous Ciel Phantomhive, this boy hadn't asked for revenge.

"Sebastian, let's go out," the boy said, walking into the kitchen. He had decided not to go to school for the rest of the week as well, saying that things would be easier to start over from the beginning of next week, seeing as today was Wednesday. Sebastian set the bowl of beaten eggs down and looked over at the boy, eyebrow raising in surprise.

"I thought you were going to rest?" he asked, noting the obviously pale and tired boy and Ciel scoffed.

"I'm not a baby, I don't need to sleep all day. Now let's go."

Ciel was already dressed and wearing his coat, a different one this time. This one was a little thinner and hoodless, a lighter blue that seemed to match his eyes. Sebastian sighed.

"Wouldn't you rather have me call Mister Patrick?" he asked. He didn't like it, but the man _was_ hired to be the boy's bodyguard. Ciel didn't say anything as he turned around and began walking towards the front door.

"Hurry up, we're taking the car."

_Brat,_ Sebastian thought, eyebrow twitching in annoyance. "Would you like to have breakfast first, Young Master?" he asked, voice slightly strained as he put on a forced smile. The boy stopped walking and turned towards the demon.

"Sure, grab a piece of toast for me. I'll eat it on the way."

Sebastian bit his tongue and did as he was told, roughly setting the uselessly dirtied bowl into the sink before folding his sleeves down and grabbing his coat from the rack. He followed his Young Master out the front door and towards the sleek black car that picked him up the other day.

Sebastian looked down at his torso where his wounds still remained, though better than they were yesterday. This was the longest time wounds had ever taken to heal, and Sebastian was truly grateful, though only a little, that he was picked up and given a place where he could heal himself quietly. This could have taken much longer.

Ciel climbed into the back seat and Sebastian after him, and the two sat across from each other. The car started and the boy was silent, munching on the bread Sebastian brought him. He looked tired, his cerulean eyes wary and his face paler than usual, only a shade darker than the snow outside. "Young Master, are you feeling alright?" Sebastian asked, just as a butler should. In reality, unless it was life threatening, he didn't really care about the boy's health.

Ciel turned towards him but didn't say anything. Sebastian sighed. "Would you mind telling me where we are heading to, at least?" he asked. The boy leaned back in the seat and rested his head against the window of the large vehicle. "A few places, the grocery store and the flower shop."

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "Couldn't you have sent me or some other servant to those places for you?" he asked. Ciel sighed.

"I think they'd like it better if I got these things myself," he said, and, for a brief second, Sebastian watched as pain flashed into those blue eyes. It didn't take an idiot to figure out who he was talking about.

The demon smiled. "I see," he replied. "I am honored you would choose to have me accompany you in place of your bodyguard."

Ciel made a 'tsk' sound and looked back over at the ruby eyed butler. "I would have come with Patrick…" he said trailing off, the last part merely a mutter. Sebastian didn't understand him.

"What was that?" Sebastian asked. Ciel growled.

"After yesterday, I…I don't know, I feel safer with you than with Patrick." He mumbled. "I doubt Patrick would have been able to find me at all and I would have been taken to that Pedophile's boss and who knows what would've happened."

Sebastian smirked, feeling a sense of pride that the boy would rather be with him, a demon who he's only known for a few days, over someone who's been protecting him for years. "Do you know who his boss was?" he asked, and Ciel shook his head.

"No, and it's not really his boss, just the person who asked him to do what he did to get rid of me. I have no idea who they are though, just that they're the second biggest toy manufacturer in London. They've been the Phantomhive's rivals for years, but no one had ever seen the face of the owner. No one knows what he does, his family, even if he's a he. They always send representatives in their place to meetings and whatnot."

Sebastian took this all in and nodded. "Troublesome," he said with a smirk, and Ciel sighed.

"I'll say," he muttered, and the car went back to being silent. After a few more minutes, they pulled into the large parking lot of the local supermarket, and Ciel stepped out and began walking towards the doors, Sebastian walking one step behind him, keeping his senses open to danger.

Once they stepped into the heated store, Ciel automatically made a left and walked down the beverage isle, scanning the shelves up and down with his eyes. Sebastian was confused.

"What are you looking for, Young Master?" he asked. Ciel remained silent. Sebastian shook his head and stood there while the boy stepped towards the fruit drinks, his eyes falling on some apple juice. He picked it up and walked towards the front of the isle, brushing past Sebastian.

"We're done here," he said as he approached the register, grabbing a chocolate bar before setting his stuff on the counter.

The cashier was a young girl, probably in her late teens. She looked down at Ciel and smiled.

"Did you find everything okay, cutie?" she asked as she rang up the two items. Ciel didn't respond and Sebastian decided to step in.

"Yes we did, thank you," he smiled, trying to not make the boy appear rude. The girl looked at him and her cheeks tinted to a light pink.

"That's good," she said, her eyes resting on the taller male for a few seconds. Ciel watched her and huffed, walking away from the scene.

"Let's go Sebastian," he said and Sebastian gave a polite nod and walked after his master. The boy was in a bad mood today, due to his parents' death along with his birthday being today, but inside the store just now felt like a different type of anger, one that confused Sebastian.

Nonetheless, he followed the boy back into the car and the two drove off to the flowershop.

The boy still didn't say anything, and Sebastian looked down into the bag that contained the apple juice and the chocolate bar Ciel bought. "What are these for?" he asked, and Ciel didn't say anything, causing Sebastian to narrow his eyes. This was getting very tiring, but he decided to let it slide, seeing as today must have been a very stressful day for the little master. Yesterday wasn't a breather for the boy either.

"How are you feeling? Yesterday was very hard on you," Sebastian asked again, and Ciel shrugged.

"I'll live," he mumbled. Tension seemed to fill the car as Ciel's eyes narrowed as he looked out the window, his face showing an expression that Sebastian couldn't quite describe. "Yes, I'll live and I'll continue to live, but not by my choice."

Sebastian looked at his master, shock evident on his face at what the child had said. The expression on Ciel's porcelain face was unreadable as he merely gazed out the window at the passing sights. The butler had felt the need to question what he meant, but decided not to. He simply continued to watch his master, that foreign feeling in his stomach that the boy had caused over a hundred years ago making itself known.

He could practically smell the boy's soul, the spice of the darkness, corruption and anger the boy held blending sweetly with the purity he managed to keep. He wanted to eat it, then and now, kill the boy to make the strange and vile feeling that he managed to cause go away for good. Oh how he hated the boy for whatever he did to him.

They arrived at the flower shop and the two stepped out, Sebastian holding the glass door open while Ciel stepped inside. There were wet footsteps on the floor from people tracking in the snow beneath their feet. Shelves of hundreds of different flowers lined the walls, nearly every color in the spectrum visible. The scent in the air was sweet, the atmosphere calming. This shop was very busy during the winter, because they were one of the few shops that stayed open during the season to sell, their flowers being grown in special green houses so that they could survive the winter.

"I'd like to pick up an order," Ciel said to the man at the counter. He held out the receipt and the guy took it, looking it over and heading into the back room. He came out with a bouquet of silver, almost lavender roses, a color Sebastian had never seen before on those types of flowers. Ciel thanked the man and handed the bouquet to his butler as the two walked out and into the car.

"This is a strange color for roses," Sebastian commented and Ciel nodded.

"I have them specially grown for me every year," he said. Sebastian glanced out the window and noticed that they passed the road they needed to get back to the mansion.

"Is there somewhere else we are going?" he asked, and Ciel nodded wordlessly, continuing to stare at the passing scenery, the beginning of snow falling to the ground. The houses became fewer and fewer until there was only one every so often. In about ten minutes, Sebastian felt the car turn and heard the crunching of snow under tires as they pulled down a gravel road, and Sebastian glanced back out to see they were pulling into a cemetery.

_I see,_ Sebastian thought to himself. This was his Young Master's plan all along. It made sense, seeing as this was the day they died.

The vehicle stopped and, without saying anything, Ciel stepped out and began walking mechanically down the shoveled stone path, seeming to know his way very well. Sebastian followed him and watched as the little bits of snow danced onto his sleet-colored hair, the cold air making his pale cheeks flush. His steps were rigid, and Sebastian feared he would fall over at any time. The boy was obviously unwell, and here he was subjecting himself to the harsh elements for this.

However, despite his complaints, he followed the boy like a shadow until he came to a stop in front of a tombstone, laying flat on the ground. A thin layer of snow had covered it, and Ciel leaned over and brushed it off. Sebastian examined the words.

RACHELLE PHANTOMHIVE

MAR. 1ST, 1973-DEC. 14TH, 2010

_A caring woman, kind wife, and a loving mother_

Without saying a word, Ciel stood up and walked towards the tombstone right beside it.

VICTOR PHANTOMHIVE

AUG. 8TH, 1970-DEC. 14th, 2010

"_Who can say when the end truly ends, and the beginning begins?"_

Ciel set the container of apple juice between the two tombstones, the flowers right beside it, and then stood up in front of the two.

Sebastian stood there silently, curiously watching what was going on. Ciel took in breath of air and addressed the tombstones. "Rachelle, Victor, it's been another year and I'm still alive." Ciel's voice wasn't breaking, tears weren't threatening to fall. Sebastian had expected the boy to break down, but he didn't even stutter. "I'm not sure who I'm living for sometimes; you or me." He gave a small chuckle. "Sometimes I don't even feel like I'm living for you, but someone else instead. I'm living for the thing that managed to keep me from going up to your office that day and greet you like I usually do, or the thing that kept me alive during the month afterwards. I'm not living for God, that much I know, because, if he really wanted me to live, then he would have let you live too."

Ciel bowed his head slightly. "I've done a lot of bad things these past two years. I'm different now, not the son you once loved. Maybe you'd look at me with hatred or disappointment if you were still alive. I wouldn't change though."

Sebastian's ears peaked at this part during the boy's speech. "I'll only ever regret one thing in life, and that's the time I've wasted shedding tears over you. They didn't bring you back, they only brought satisfaction to our enemies. I showed them that a Phantomhive can break, just like every other human." He shook his head. "I don't regret the choices I've made and I won't look back, I'll keep moving forward, though I think my time is short. I'll slip eventually, and when I do I won't have a cushion to fall on. Then maybe, Father, we could call it the End to the Beginning."

He lifted his head up. "Anyways, I brought you apple juice, since I know you loved apples Victor. And I brought Rachelle her favorite flowers in her favorite color. They'll die, eventually, but everything does. I will, too, and when I do, don't expect me up in heaven."

With that last part, he turned away from the tombstones and walked past Sebastian, signaling the other to follow him. Sebastian stood for a few more seconds, the little talk the boy had with his parents relaying in his head. He didn't know what to make of it, really. He wanted to say he didn't care, but he really was curious as to what the boy was talking about and decided to ask about it later.

Halfway to the car, a small 'mew' could be heard, and both Ciel and Sebastian stopped walking and turned to see a small cat, fur as dark as midnight with a blue shine and bright yellow eyes. Sebastian gave a small gasp, completely losing himself in the beautiful eyes.

"You…" he said, hovering around the mewing cat, mouth agape as he stared at all it's beauty. "I've never seen a creature as beautiful as you," he said. A single finger reached out and stroked its head, the animal leaning in to the touch. Ciel smirked.

"You like cats?" he asked, his face morphing from the blank expression he had earlier while he talked to his parents to a slightly amused one. Sebastian looked over at him.

"I assume you have allergies," he said. The old Ciel Phantomhive did.

However, this Ciel Phantomhive scoffed and walked up to the creature, bending down and gently picking it up. Sebastian watched curiously as the boy held the cat away from his body, the creature giving another mew before he smiled and brought it into his chest, hugging it before burying his face in it. "I love cats," he muttered, voice small and childlike. Sebastian could only gape.

Never before had he dreamed his Young Master would snuggle into a cat like that, looking, for just a few brief moments, like a normal twelve year old. It was a moment of weakness the boy was showing, but for once Sebastian wasn't going to say anything. The sight he was looking at was too precious to destroy.

"If you love cats, why do you not have one?" Sebastian asked, and Ciel pulled away from the small creature, his expression still soft and vulnerable. Maybe it was because of the day, the conversation he just had, or the fact that he still looked very unwell, but Ciel had put down one of his defenses and gave the cat another hug before putting in back down on the grass.

"Cats, dogs, rabbits, birds…they all die first. I don't want something if it's only going to get taken away from me in the end." He turned around, his expression hardening as he continued walking towards the car. "It goes the same for life, I suppose. What's the point in working hard your whole life for something if you'll inevitably lose it in the end?"

Sebastian watched after his master in surprise. This Ciel Phantomhive…he didn't know how to handle him. He was so different, he looked at everything differently then his old master did. He couldn't answer his question, and Sebastian didn't think he ever would be able to. He was a demon, he never would have to experience death and he had all the time in the world to do what he wanted. He never cared about anyone so he never had to mourn someone's death. The most he's felt was the slight discomfort when he first killed Ciel Phantomhive all those years ago.

A shuffling could be heard from up ahead and Sebastian looked to see his Young Master on the ground, having apparently collapsed.

It was only a slight discomfort Sebastian felt when he killed Ciel Phantomhive. Nothing more nothing less. It was only a slight discomfort when Sebastian rushed to his master's side and scooped him up out of the snow, unconscious, bringing him home and discovering he hadn't slept at all the day or night before.

Sebastian hated the boy, because though it was only a slight discomfort, it was still there. Proof that Ciel Phantomhive had done something strange to him during the three years they were together. Sebastian will claim the prize he already won in due time, he noted, as he watched the obviously overly exhausted boy sleep from his bedside.

However, the more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable he was.

* * *

**A/N**

**Why do I keep making such depressing chapters?**

**Anyone else surprised about the whole Ciel/Cat thing? Very ooc but somehow I could see it happening. Reincarnations aren't the exact person, after all. This chapter was difficult to write and I made up the days and months and ages of Ciel's parents. Sorry if I'm wrong but just pretend its right haha**

**Please tell me what you think! **

**BTW this will hopefully be my last chapter without a beta because I now have two! Thank you guys for offering to assist me! I hope we work well together!**


	7. That Butler, Rebel

"There's my favorite little patient!" the overly joyous voice of the doctor squealed when she walked into the room.

Ciel had informed Sebastian that he was due for a checkup the previous day due to his recent asthma attack a few days before he and the demon met. Sebastian had agreed wholeheartedly, seeing as the boy had collapsed, sick from exhaustion, two days earlier when they went to the cemetery.

The memory replayed in Sebastian's mind, over and over again.

"_**I don't regret the choices I've made and I won't look back, I'll keep moving forward."**_

Sebastian stared at the boy, sitting on the edge of the tall, plastic bed, the white paper layering the top of it crinkling under his weight. His hospital gown looked like it could swallow him whole, hanging loosely on his shoulders, his gaze less than interested as his blue eyes rested on the doctor as she spoke to him. His looks, his attitude… everything was just like his past young master, and Sebastian would be lying if he said he didn't miss it one bit. Settling back into the all too familiar routine at the mansion felt good, and for a few brief moments every so often he can pretend that he was back in the past, the first Ciel Phantomhive still alive before him, days before Sebastian could take his soul. He wouldn't have messed up his first chance to devour it. However, this wasn't his Young Master, and the images of this Ciel, snuggling into the feline creature, eyes so devoid of hope and fear, appeared in his head.

"_**I think my time is short. I'll slip eventually, and when I do I won't have a cushion to fall on."**_

"_**What's the point in working hard your whole life for something if you'll inevitably lose it in the end?"**_

No, _his_ young master wouldn't say that. He wouldn't even think it. Ciel Phantomhive worked for everything _because_ it would all end. He would strive to achieve his goals until the day he took his very last breath.

This boy wasn't his Ciel Phantomhive…not yet. Sebastian had to stay by his side until he was; that way he would have no qualms about taking the soul that already belonged to him.

"Oh, aren't you just the cutest thing ever?" The doctor continued to squeal, taking Sebastian's master into a full hug. Sebastian wasn't the least bit surprised, as usual, seeing as this doctor was just another familiar face. Even so, he felt little comfort because of it.

Ciel gasped out for breath animatedly, his body being squeezed to death by the giant bear hug. He was pulled off the bed and hugged even more fiercely. "D-Doctors s-s-shouldn't treat p-patients this w-way!" he managed to gasp out, and instantly his body felt relief as the arms loosened their hold and the woman chuckled merrily.

"Sorry Ciel, but every time I see my little patient I can't help it! I have the cutest nephew ever!" The doctor grinned, pulling her blood red hair back behind her ears and ruffling the boy's hair.

Ciel scowled and fixed his rumpled hair, trying to look as presentable as possible despite wearing a dreaded, backless and tasteless hospital gown. "It's fine, Aunt Ann. Can we please just get this over with?"

Sebastian could sense it; the boy was at ease here, meaning he must have been here often. Even walking in, the doctors and nurses who passed by him greeted him with a smile and said his name. Obviously, he was a regular. Even a new patient had cheerfully greeted him, to which he waved back. However, despite the feeling the young master felt, Sebastian dutifully kept watch while this version of Angelina Durless, or Ann Durlitch as she is known here, checked over Ciel. The boy was at ease, but Ciel doesn't remember Angelina like he did, over a hundred years ago, coated in the blood of prostitutes and working with Death Gods.

This Angelina Durless still had a passion for red; it seemed, for her doctor coat, instead of the usual white, was a dark and crimson red, matching her eyes and her long hair that was tied back in a braided bun.

Ann gave a small hum as she pulled out her stethoscope and looked over at Sebastian and then back to Ciel. "Who's your new friend here? Did something happen to Patrick?" she asked, her voice taking on a tone of edge. Ann knew what Ciel went through everyday, needing to constantly be protected from outside forces. If something happened to his bodyguard…then no doubt something could happen to him.

Ciel and Sebastian exchanged glances. "Nothing happened to Patrick, don't worry about him. Sebastian is my new butler and I brought him today because he was already there and I was running late." Ann opened her mouth to protest and Ciel cut her off. "He's more than capable of taking care of me, so please don't worry."

Ann looked less than satisfied, but she sighed and smiled nonetheless and checked the child's heartbeat. "When was your last attack?" she asked.

"December 9th, the last time I was in here," he replied. The red-clad woman smiled.

"That's good so far, I hope you've been taking it easy like I've told you."

Ciel nodded. "I have," he replied.

"What about on the 14th?" she asked, and instantly Ciel fell silent.

Ann must have known about Ciel and his visits to his parents' graves, Sebastian figured. Why else would she point out that specific day?

"I know that day is hard on you, Ciel. It is for me too." The woman gave a soft smile as the turned around to grab a small flashlight from her desk. "I wanted nothing more than to go over to your house, hug you and cradle you in my arms. I knew you wouldn't be there though." She turned back around to her silent nephew and had him open his mouth to check his throat. "You went out in the freezing cold to visit them; my sister and her husband. I couldn't stop worrying. What if you had an attack? Were you alone?" she pulled away from him and grabbed her clipboard, jotting down some notes while Sebastian stood in the corner, silent as a mouse.

Ciel hadn't said anything the entire time, and even a few minutes after. "I wasn't alone," he said finally. "For once, I wasn't alone." Ann smiled and looked over at Sebastian again, then reaching over and ruffling up Ciel's hair for the third time.

"That's good. It makes me happy that you had someone there."

Dropping the conversation entirely, Ann finished up her examination and smiled cheerfully. "Well, looks like everything is still working fine and normal, just take an easy. No over exertion of any kind. I also went ahead and wrote out a prescription for another inhaler because you never tell me when they are empty," she said with a shake of her head. "Anyways, feel free to get changed and you can go ahead and head out. I'll be seeing you next week to take you out for a late birthday dinner, and a few weeks after that for your inheritance claim, not to mention Christmas is coming up in a little over a week."

Ciel nodded and when Ann gave him another hug, Sebastian watched as he whispered something in her ear. Ann's face went from happy to stunned, as she merely stood up and looked down at her nephew, before nodding and, with another hug, turning and walking out the door. The room fell silent, no one moving or doing anything, and Sebastian turned towards his master.

"If you do not mind me asking, my lord, what did you say to her?" he asked. It wasn't any of his business, but Ann gave off a bright red aura, a cheerful smile never leaving her face. However, when she left the room her mouth was in a tight line, her eyes wide and pained, and the red aura a dull gray.

Ciel shrugged off his hospital gown, reaching for his clothes. "I told her it was the last time."

Sebastian didn't respond, raising an eyebrow. Ciel elaborated. "I told her it was the last time I was going to see _them_." The boy slipped on his shirt and threw his pants on, bending over to tie his shoes. "I said back at the cemetery that I won't look back and keep moving forward. They were the only things holding me back, preventing me from doing this. Not anymore."

He stood up, Sebastian handing him his coat and Ciel threw it over his shoulders. This seemed like the perfect time to bring up what had been on his mind for the last few days.

"Young master, what you said at their grave, you said you do not know who or what you are living for, and your time is short. What do you mean?"

Truthfully, Sebastian could care less about what the boy spoke about. These few things, however, weighed heavily on his mind.

Ciel was reaching for the doorknob and stopped, turning back towards his butler. His stare, the look of determination on his face, the piercing blue eyes that could make you feel ten times heavier, it was Ciel. Not quite Ciel Phantomhive, but close. "If it were up to me, Sebastian, I'd be dead. And yet, here I am."

Sebastian always forcefully had to remember that Ciel was a child, because the way the child spoke was older and wiser than almost all of the adults he knew.

"I don't know why, but something let me live the day my…the day Victor and Rachelle Phantomhive died." He continued. "Maybe it's a way to torture me, so every day I can think about what I don't have, or maybe it's because I have something I have to do. I don't know. Maybe I'm finishing up someone else's life, not my own. I don't know."

Sebastian couldn't believe how right Ciel had sounded. He truly wasn't living his own life, but the previous Ciel's life. This Ciel was a reincarnation. The more Sebastian thought about it, what if the previous Ciel was a reincarnation as well? What if Ciel Phantomhive went way back, from before Sebastian even existed? These were just musings, however.

"I don't care, for that matter," Ciel said after a few silent moments. "My time is short, because whether it is by my hand or someone else's, I'm going to die."

* * *

Sebastian knew of the many rules he was breaking being with Ciel Phantomhive twice like he was. Demons never broke a contract with a human; it's unheard of. At least, Sebastian had never heard of another demon having done what he did that night all those years ago. When a contract is complete, the demon eats the soul it's entitled to. With no soul roaming the earth, the human wouldn't have a chance to reincarnate. Ciel Phantomhive shouldn't be here, his soul should have been long since devoured. But since he was here, he was living proof that a demon had broken his contract, which was the sole thing demons lived by.

There are a few exceptions to this rule, however, that being that the human dies unexpectedly and the demon can't eat the soul. Or the demon gets killed by a Death God, and so forth. And even if both the demon and the human had lived and the human had been reincarnated, the same demon is not allowed to make another contract with the same person. If it was the demon's fault to begin with, then the human finishes his or her life and die however they were meant to, and they get a second chance at life. It wouldn't be fair to that human, with no memories of their past life, to make the mistake and shun the light for everlasting nothingness when they've already done it once.

Sebastian knew these rules, along with a few others, but he tossed them aside the minute he saw Ciel Phantomhive for the first time in this lifetime. A little over a century later, the boy had reappeared for the first time since Sebastian had killed him. The wounds of his torso a warning of what was to come if he makes another contract, but Sebastian doesn't care. With time, he will stay by the young boy's side; contract free, until the day Ciel decides to make a real contract. With that, it's only a little longer until the boy regains his memories of his past life, and he's fully Sebastian's little master again. Complete the contract and the soul is his. He can't ruin everything. Ciel can't outwit him this time. He can't win.

However, when Sebastian heard those last words spoken by the small boy, he couldn't help but feel that things would have been easier had he just left this Ciel Phantomhive alone. Sebastian wasn't used to such talk coming from the face of his young master.

"What do you mean? You realize that I shall protect you with my life should your life ever come into harm?" Sebastian asked. Ciel shook his head.

"You said a contract was a bond between demon and master, ensuring that the master, or 'prey' can always be found, the demon would always know where they were, and the prey could never escape. How can you find me if I get kidnapped and we don't have a contract?" His small, pale hand was still on the brass doorknob as he spoke, his voice stern and hollow. "What if you don't get there in time?"

Sebastian smiled. "If you doubt me, my lord, you can always make a contract with me. I will always be by your side, just like your first wish, and then I can help you grant another wish at the same time." The smile turned sinister, Sebastian's ruby eyes giving off a slight glow. The atmosphere in the room seemed to darken. "However, I believe you know the price."

Humans would have passed out of terror, scream in fright, or die on the spot at the feel of death standing in the room with them. It's happened before.

However, Ciel Phantomhive doesn't even flinch as he scoffs and turns his back towards the demon, opening up the door and walking away like nothing happened. "As if I'll sell my soul to the devil. I'm not that desperate." He got a few steps before turning back around at the stunned demon. "However little my life means to me, I would never be willing to go that far. I'm surprised I'm even letting you stick around," he said the last part, mostly to himself, as he turned back on his heel to head to the front counter and grab his prescription. Sebastian stood in shock for a few moments.

This Ciel Phantomhive was very different to the old Ciel Phantomhive. He showed more emotion, valued life less, hasn't even spoken a word of revenge against the person who kidnapped him, but that sense of pride is the same, along with the determined look in his eyes as he stared down a devil and stood his ground.

Sebastian smirked as he went off to follow his master.

Some things never change.

* * *

**A/N**

**Yay, another chapter! Mainly just a filler but with a little more plot revealed. **

**Not really much to say about this one except that its my first beta-ed chapter! Thank you Carrie2sky! It looks much better!**

**Please review~~ I'll try to update as fast as I can but I'm getting back into my Ouran fic, Beautiful Disaster and finishing up the first few chapters. I'm excited because I have a beta for that story too~~!**

**So let me know what you guys think! Next chapter we meet some new (old) characters and some of Ciel's and Sebastians past on what happened that night is revealed.**


	8. That Butler, Surprised

Every night, Ciel would wake up due to nightmares.

The gory scene of his parents burning alive, the images of the man abusing him, torturing him until he eventually died, and bright, glowing, piercing red eyes as they whispered into his ear, 'Yes, my lord.'

Since a few nights ago, his nightmares had grown strange until he wondered if he really could call them nightmares at all.

But all the same, he always ended up dying.

It started off with a voice, a caress to his face, while he sat there in darkness.

"_Now then, Young Master…"_

It was scary, because Ciel knew he was supposed to die, but he didn't fight it. He sat there, perfectly still, his breath hitched as he waited. However, nothing would happen, and Ciel would continue to sit there, silence surrounding him until the voice would speak up again.

"_What…? What is happening?"_

"_You…Young Master…"_

And then there was pain. So much pain, that Ciel had to question if it was real or not. He would wake up, breathing heavily and clothes dampened with sweat, the pain a dull sensation as his heart raced to try to get the voice out of his head. He wouldn't scream. He used to; he used to wake up screaming for his parents. For someone. But no one ever came, because no one could hear him. And even if someone could come, it wouldn't be who he wanted. He would turn around in bed, repeating the date he had memorized so long ago.

"One month… just one more month. January 14th… January 14th…"

Yes, he shouldn't be scared of these strange dreams and nightmares. He wouldn't die from them in reality, when the date of his death had already been decided.

And it was a few nights ago when Ciel was counting down the days left when he thought of someone else. Someone he's never met before. Ciel thought about Sebastian's old master, and wondered if he counted down the days before he died as well; the days until his soul would be eaten. Maybe he didn't want to know. Maybe he didn't care, similar to how Ciel doesn't care about his life either. Counting down the days he had left to live was almost comforting to the young boy. So every time he woke up from a nightmare, he would think of Sebastian's old master while he repeated the date to himself quietly.

Sebastian had said that he didn't eat his old master's soul, but then what happened to this person?

* * *

It was Saturday, the crisp, morning sun shining down on the snow outside the mansion, making the white substance glimmer and sparkle as it covered the lawn and garden. It was morning now, and Sebastian was due to wake the Young Master at any time.

The boy had been oddly quiet since his little speech yesterday at the doctor's office, about how unwilling he was to make a contract with him and how he was going to die. The thought made Sebastian's eyebrow twitch. If the child was so worried about whether the demon was around to save him, or if he would be able to get to him in time when he was in danger, then why not ensure your safety and form a contract? The cost is a soul, of course, but if the boy really cared so little about life then why should it matter?

Unless Ciel actually wanted to die.

The thought actually made Sebastian sick. There was nothing more undesirable than a soul of a person who had given up life and didn't want to keep living. The butler had devoured thousands of souls like that in his early days, and not one of them was the least bit appealing. The souls were…soggy. They were soggy and greasy, raw and uncooked. Not fit for even a lower demon to devour.

This Ciel Phantomhive's soul, however, wasn't like that. Despite his yearning to be dead, to not have to live with the thought of what he once had, his soul didn't smell the least bit bitter or unrefined. It was strong, charred as black as night, like the boy wanted to die, to escape his misery, but white as the snow lazily falling to the ground outside, like he wouldn't shed a tear or embrace death, simply because he's asked for it. It was the same soul that drew Sebastian in the moment he heard the small, shrill voice call out to him from inside a cage. It was the same soul, but for different reasons.

Sebastian sighed at the confusion of it all and stepped into his Master's room, wheeling the cart with an actual breakfast on it. "Young Master—" he started, when he noticed that the child wasn't lying on the oversized, much too big bed. Sebastian stood there for a few seconds, eyebrow raised.

_Where could he be? _He thought to himself. The boy was still in the manor, as Sebastian could sense his presence. It was just where he was exactly that would be a pain to find out, without a contract to guide him.

* * *

"_This is my life. This is how I lived. But… I'm dead now."_

Ciel was laying flat in the darkness, the sound of water splashing against the unknown force pulling him through the dark filling his ears. Cool air bit at his face as he lay still, eyes open yet unseeing. He heard voices, his own, yet it wasn't.

"_No, not yet. Though death will come to claim you sure enough, Young Master, I will be here until the end."_

The boy listened to the deeper, older voice, frozen still from his spot. The accent was flawless, the tone low and familiar.

"_It is my duty as a butler."_

"Young Master!"

Ciel jumped at the sound of the voice and he quickly picked his head up off his large, grand oak desk. Papers were scattered about, his textbook open, but the page he was on was folded down and creased due to the pressure from his head resting on it. Ciel averted his blue-eyed gaze to where his butler stood before him, eyes wide as he hovered around the small boy.

"What, Sebastian?" Ciel asked bitterly as the demon continued watching him curiously.

Sebastian frowned. "Are you alright, Young Master?" he asked, as Ciel raised an eyebrow before shaking his head and reaching to grab the papers scattered all over the desk.

"Yes, I just fell asleep doing homework," he muttered tiredly, placing the papers in a neat stack. He'd sort through them later.

Sebastian stood there, unconvinced as he looked down at his little master. The desk he sat at was large, much too big for him. The red, velvet chair he sat in was as well. The whole room seemed to big for a child; the towering bookcases filled with thick, leather bound books that an adult could barely understand. However, how tiny his master was wasn't what he was concerned with, if he could say concerned at all. He was _surprised._ The boy was obviously sleeping, his head flat on his book, but that wasn't the reason.

However, Sebastian didn't say anything as he simply looked down at the large, thick book that read Business Finance Managing. "Is this what they teach you in school?" the demon asked, a little bewildered.

Ciel nodded, letting a small chuckle escape his lips at the demon's reaction. "Yes, at Coventry University. I'm taking business classes there."

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were only in 7th grade." Ciel shrugged.

"I am, for show. It's to make my enemies think I'm not as smart as I actually am." He smirked. "I had to pull a few strings, take a few tests, but now I have a tutor here once a week to instruct me and assign me some work. It's very convenient for me."

Sebastian couldn't help but feel a bit of pride and annoyance at the child. Pride because his master was obviously a genius, taking University classes since before he was twelve years old, but annoyed because paying for private school 'just for show' seemed like a splendid waste of money.

"Sebastian," Ciel said, his voice low and passive. "What was your old master like?"

The demon was caught off guard at the question.

"Why would the Young Master bother with thinking about a person who is dead now?" Sebastian asked, as Ciel rolled his eyes.

"It was a simple question. Answer it," he ordered. "I'm not getting any younger."

_You are not getting any taller, either, _Sebastian mentally bit back, however, fighting with his master was not going to make things easier. Maybe he should lie?

No, Butlers never lie to their masters.

Sebastian was silent for a few more moments, before finally speaking up. "He was young, a child. About your age," he said. "He had dark, grayish blue hair, bright, blue eyes that when you looked into them you felt cold, like you were drowning in the ocean."

That last line surprised Sebastian himself, but he didn't take it back. Ciel Phantomhive did have wonderful eyes, both the one tainted with the contract and hidden behind the leather fabric, and his normal one. "He had a cold and distant personality, however he cared for people underneath, especially the few he could call 'friends'. His skin was pale and smooth; he held an air of authority that dared anyone to cross him. He was terrifyingly beautiful."

The demon looked down at the boy, sitting at his desk and looking up at him with wide, ocean blue eyes, the exact same ones Sebastian was talking about. The boy turned his surprised look into a glare after a few more moments and turned his head away. "You idiot, you're trying to describe me, aren't you?" he asked, and Sebastian noticed a slight pink tint on his cheeks at the demons words, describing his eyes and personality in such depth.

"Perhaps," Sebastian mused, finding it oddly satisfying to see that little blush on his master's cheeks knowing he caused it. However, he quickly bit back that thought. "You two are very similar. However, there is one thing that he had that you do not."

Ciel looked back over at him. "What?" he asked. The demon leaned in, reaching out his gloved hand and caressing the pale, porcelain cheek of the boy, thumb brushing underneath his right eye. The gesture was something that felt so familiar, something he had felt in one of his nightmares.

"My old master had the symbol of a contract upon his right eye."

Instantly, Ciel narrowed his eyes and pulled back. "Don't touch me, ever," he growled. "And don't mention those stupid contracts around me again. You can't persuade me to make one."

Sebastian smiled and stood up straight, pulling away from the boy.

"Yes, my lord," he said with a bow. Ciel sat there, glaring at him as the butler turned and began placing dishes on the desk. "For breakfast, I've made a bowl of boiled oats, complimented by a dash of ginger and scrambled eggs with toast as the sides. I have brought up some milk and orange juice for you to drink." Sebastian had to do a little research, but he picked out the most common breakfast for children of this century.

Ciel nodded his approval and began to eat, waving Sebastian away. "I'll call for you when I'm done. I have to finish this work and get my homework for school made up for tomorrow, and your presence is distracting me."

Sebastian nodded. "Very good sir," he said, bowing and walking out of the room. When the door clicked shut, Ciel stopped eating and simply stared at where his butler had been.

_He never did answer my question. _He thought bitterly. _All he did was describe me. _Again, he felt a blush creep onto his face. _Stupid, creepy demon._

* * *

That night, Ciel had a nightmare again.

It was similar to the same one as the night before, where he listened to the voice talk to him, felt the cool hand stroke his face, and then, in bewilderment, the voice would address him and then Ciel would be overcome with the pain. And in this nightmare, while he was screaming, in the darkness he saw a spark of fire, growing bigger and bigger, until the black that once surrounded him was red. It was hot, the flames licking at his skin and burning. The screams of his parents mixed in with his, along with the mechanical laughter of the man who had abused him physically, mentally, and sexually.

Ciel screamed out for his parents, knowing they wouldn't come. Not when they themselves were screaming for help. Ciel screamed out for God, knowing that the said being had abandoned him long ago. Ciel screamed out for anyone, his body being drowned by the flames as his hand reached towards the top of the flames, trying to grab a hold of anything.

He did this every night; he would reach for something and end up being devoured by the darkness, or the flames that had devoured his parents. He never touched anything.

This time, however, he felt a firm grip on his hand. Something was lifting him out of the fires, relief washing through his body as his screaming died down, along with the laughs and the roaring of the flames.

Ciel sat up in bed, panting and shaking from the events that had just happened, but instead of the fear he usually felt, all he felt was relief. Looking over, he realized that his hand was still sticking out and Sebastian was holding onto it, a smile on his face.

"I see you are awake now," he said. Ciel didn't answer, his mind was foggy and hazy and he felt like he was still asleep. Sebastian bowed his head slightly. "Forgive me for breaking your earlier orders, but you seemed to be having a bad dream and were begging for help while reaching out." Ciel still said nothing, and Sebastian gave another bow as he went to release the hand. However, Ciel still held a firm grip. "Young Master?" he asked.

"Sebastian," Ciel said, but his voice was different. It was the same, Sebastian knew, but it sounded different. It sounded lower and older, and Sebastian felt like his old Ciel was talking him. The boy didn't look at him, as he continued holding the demon's hand. "Stay here until I fall asleep."

Sebastian watched, quizzically, before giving a slight smile and bowing once more. "Of course, my lord." He said. Ciel slowly lay back down on his bed, never releasing Sebastian's hand.

"And if you say anything about this to anyone, I'll kill you myself," he muttered, and the thought made the demon laugh.

"I would not dream of it," he replied flawlessly, and he stood by the bed, allowing the boy to hold his white gloved hand until the grip slackened, alerting the demon that Ciel was asleep. He chuckled and left the room. He said nothing more about it, just like he promised. He merely thought about how delicious the boy looked then and there, screaming out for help as he reached out, as if trying to grab salvation. It was bittersweet. Sebastian loved how scared and helpless the child looked, it made his stomach growl with hunger. However, that sickening feeling came again, at seeing how distressed the boy was, and that's what caused him to grab onto that outstretched hand.

The sooner he ate that soul, the better.

* * *

Ciel walked to school with Patrick, a scowl on his face the whole time.

"Mister Ciel, is something wrong?" Patrick asked as they rounded the corner. "Are you having an attack?"

"No," Ciel replied. "I'm thinking how I actually had a goodnight's sleep thanks to that stupid butler." He replied. At this, the dark-haired man laughed.

"Isn't that a good thing?" he asked, as Ciel shook his head.

"Not when it involves him."

The two continued on in silence until they arrived at the school. Ciel walked up to his classroom and was hastily greeted by Eliza.

"Oh Ciel! Please tell me your okay! I was so scared!" she cried, hugging him tightly. Ciel chuckled nervously and pried the girl off.

"I'm fine, Lizzy, I just took your advice and stayed home and rested more. I'm much better now."

The girl grinned. "I'm so happy! You're just in time too; we got a new student today. He's so cool!"

"A new student?" Ciel asked curiously, as he and Lizzy walked further into the classroom. Ciel looked over towards his desk where a strange boy sat. Platinum blond hair could be seen, and when the boy turned his crystal blue eyes they locked onto Ciel's ocean blue ones. The boy was about Ciel's age, by the look of it, and a large grin was plastered onto his face as he stood up and danced over to where Ciel and Lizzy stood. He was taller than Ciel by a few inches, but most of the class was taller than the boy.

"Hi!" The new kid smiled, wrapping Ciel into a hug. Ciel squirmed uncomfortably. "My name's Jim Macken! You must be Ciel Phantomhive, the one Lizzy was talking about earlier!"

"Don't touch me!" Ciel shouted as he fought out of the boy's grip. Jim laughed.

"Sorry about that, I'm a really touchy person."

Ciel missed the gleam that appeared in Jim's eyes. He merely sighed and dusted himself off. "It's fine, just please don't let it happen again." Jim nodded and Ciel walked over to his desk that was beside the new boy's.

_That's Lorraine's seat__," _Ciel thought, watching Jim sit down in it. Lorraine was another girl in his class, who was kind but quiet, her blonde curls always up in a green bow. "What happened to Lorraine?" he asked, scanning the room. Jim smiled, something that unnerved Ciel.

"Oh, she moved the day before I got here."

* * *

**A/N**

**This chapter was... i dont really know honestly haha. Just a little cute. **

**Ciel's dreams are getting more and more frequent. I wonder how long it will take to realize what they are...?**

**And now Ciel has to deal with the annoying new student, Jim. It shouldn't be too hard to figure out who he really is! And Lorraine is a girl from the DS game that I love so much. Lorraine McDowell. She had a giant crush on Patrick in the game.**

**Please R&R and i'll update faster! My goal is to get to 85 reviews this chapter due to my grandpa's 85th birthday. ^^ Please help my dream come true!**


	9. That Butler, Scarred

"Ciel~~" Jim whispered to the blue haired boy for the tenth time.

Ciel had enough of it. Throughout the day, school had been nothing but giggling, whispering, note passing, questions, pokes and other incredibly annoying things, and they all were directed at him from the same person.

"What do you want, Macken?" Ciel growled quietly so the teacher couldn't hear him. The CEO, after the first minute of meeting Jim Macken, had been staring at the clock for the other seven hours and fifty-nine minutes, waiting to be out of the dreaded class and into the safety and confinement of his home.

The blond boy was oblivious to the dark aura radiating off the boy, and smiled happily. "Let's walk home together!" he suggested cheerfully as he leaned over towards Ciel. Somehow, throughout the course of the day, Jim's desk had managed to scoot about three inches closer to Ciel's, their elbows grazing each other now and again.

Clearly Jim Macken had forgotten the 'no touch' rule.

"No," Ciel replied instantly. "I walk home with my bodyguard." Jim's eyes lit up.

"That's so cool! You have to let me come with you!"

"No."

Jim must not have known the meaning of the word 'no' either. "Why not?" he pouted, a frown on his face as he leaned onto his desk sullenly. "It's not like I'm a bad person or anything."

Ciel sighed. The boy was harmless enough, but he was so annoying that Ciel didn't want to be in his presence any longer than necessary. He never even let Lizzy walk with him to his house. "It's not you, it's me. I'm dangerous to be around, and your life could be in danger. If someone were to attack us trying to get to me, then my bodyguard's first and only priority is my life, not yours. You could be killed."

Jim's eyes lit up once more. "That sounds exciting! I wanna go! Please, Ciel?" he begged. Ciel mentally thumped his head on his desk ten times.

"No." Finally, the long awaited bell rang and Ciel shot up from his desk, bolting for the door. He didn't stop to say goodbye to Lizzy or Jim. He raced around the corner and towards his locker, throwing it open and grabbing his bag and coat, not even bothering to grab any textbooks he might need. He just wanted to get as far away from that overly cheerful, blond boy as soon as possible. However, it looked like luck wasn't on his side, for as soon as he shut his locker said boy was standing right beside him.

"Are you in a rush, Ciel?" he asked, a harmless looking smile on his face. "I was hoping we could talk more."

Quickly, Ciel shook his head and began quickly walking down the hall and towards the stairs. "I can't, I have business to take care of at home immediately." Jim managed to keep up with Ciel easily, his legs being far longer than the young CEO's. Ciel growled mentally, every fiber of his being screaming to turn around and punch the impossible child.

"That's too bad," Jim pouted. "Today was so much fun. It can't be helped though," he shrugged as the two walked out of the school. Ciel's eyes scanned the perimeter and saw Sebastian standing just outside the gate, clad in his usual black coat. Ciel swung his dark blue coat on over his arms and walked towards the demon, Jim in tow. "Maybe some other time?" he asked hopefully, as the twin gates opened. Ciel turned around to deny the request when he tripped on a crack and fell backwards, letting out an undignified yelp. A pair of strong arms caught him.

"My, the Young Master is very clumsy," mused Sebastian as Ciel still lay diagonal in his arms, the heels of his feet the only things touching the ground. Ciel gave a small gasp and quickly stood up, brushing himself off, looking over to see Jim scowling at the butler.

"Um, well, maybe, but I doubt it, " he said to Jim, trying to regain his composure at the embarrassing scene that was just displayed. "I run a billion dollar company, I don't have time to spare."

Jim pouted and Ciel looked up at Sebastian. "Let's go, Sebastian," Ciel said darkly. He turned towards Jim. "Please, go away now," he told the other boy as pleasantly as possible. "Like I said earlier, I don't want you to get hurt."

Jim sighed but smiled and waved at his new 'friend'. "Okay, nice meeting you Ciel~~! See you tomorrow!" as Ciel shuttered at the thought, throwing his coat on as he quickly walked away from the blond.

"Worst day of school ever, " Ciel muttered, much to Sebastian's amusement.

Both the demon and the master failed to notice the happy smiling face of the blond they left standing at the gate turn into a sadistic-looking smirk, pink tongue running over his lips.

* * *

"I never thought I would see the day the Young Master gets himself a friend, " Sebastian smirked as the two rounded a corner, Ciel, once again trying to nonchalantly stand as close to the demon as he could without touching him, his eyes darting around. He hadn't had a panic or asthma attack in a little over a week, which was a record. It wouldn't hurt to be careful, and focusing on Sebastian being near him helped to calm him down.

"Shut up," he growled. "He's just some harmless leech who won't leave me alone. I can barely call him an acquaintance, and I've never been happier to leave the school."

Sebastian gave a small chuckle. "One could hardly call a leech 'harmless', my lord. They crave the taste of your blood, and once they latch on they never come off on their own, content to suck you dry until you are nothing but a pile of skin and bones."

Ciel gave a slight, inaudible gulp as the two continued down the sidewalk and cast a glare to his butler. "In other words, they kill you, " he stated blandly, a bead of sweat rolling down the side of his face. He was exhausted, his breathing becoming heavy. "But I think you're giving this kid too much credit-if you want to get technical about it, he's a _toothless _leech. He can grip onto you but can't break the skin." The boy huffed, thankful that they were less than a minute from the mansion. He was becoming increasingly exhausted and the graphic images Sebastian was helping put into his head made his stomach queasy. "Why are we talking about this anyways?" he mumbled. "I don't want that boy invading my thoughts; he's already invaded my personal space more than enough for that."

For a split second, Sebastian's smile faltered, something that went unnoticed by human eyes. "Well then, how about when we get back I make you a cup of tea? I had ordered some Earl Grey the other day and it arrived while you were at school."

Ciel was silent for a few moments. "Earl Grey is my favorite," he mumbled.

Sebastian smiled. "I am glad."

Ciel gave another sigh and rounded the final corner alongside his butler. "And when we get back, please hold all calls. I'm not in the mood to deal with anyone, and only personal friends and acquaintances have my cell phone number."

Sebastian nodded his head. "Yes, my lord," he replied.

Ciel knew he'd heard that phrase countless times already, but he felt like he was hearing it for the first time.

"_**Yes, my lord."**_

Voices, and one particular voice, filled his head at that moment, shutting out any outside sounds and drowning out the boy's own thoughts.

"_**Don't bother. What use are bones?"**_

"_**When you're done, give them my remains."**_

"_**Make it as painful as possible. Engrave the pain into my soul to show I had a life worth living."**_

"_**Yes, my lord."**_

"Young Master?" Sebastian asked the child who had stopped walking and was now staring straight ahead of himself, ocean blue eyes wide yet unseeing as his mouth was open slightly. His porcelain face was even paler as he looked like he wanted to say something, but no words escaped his lips.

Something was wrong. "Young Mas—"

Before he could finish, however, the boy collapsed on the ground.

* * *

"_I want power."_

"_What is your name?"_

"_Ciel. Ciel Phantomhive._

* * *

"Young Master?" Ciel heard the demon call as he opened his eyes, the deep blue locking tiredly onto crimson orbs. The boy closed his eyes once again, head throbbing as he leaned his head back, resting it on something firm, which happened to be Sebastian's arm. The butler was currently cradling him in his arms.

"You're too loud, Sebastian," Ciel mumbled tiredly. "What happened?"

Sebastian sighed; standing in the same place the boy had collapsed barely a minute before. "I was hoping you would tell me, Young Master. You froze suddenly and then collapsed on the ground. Did I fail to sense a panic attack coming on?" he asked, as the boy shook his head.

"No…" he said, opening his eyes once again. "It didn't feel like an attack, but I don't remember."

Sebastian sighed again and began walking the last thirty seconds to get the boy home. He didn't elaborate on the situation, the boy seemed too weak to do that. And if he didn't remember anything then it would be pointless to ask about it.

The boy didn't even complain about being held like a baby as the two walked into the mansion and past the servants, the three not even saying a word.

"What would you like to do, Young Master?" Sebastian asked.

Ciel was half asleep, the scene only a few minutes earlier draining him completely. "Take me to bed."

"If the Young Master sleeps now, he will get up very early tomorrow and mess up his whole sleep schedule."

"I don't care."

"Very well then," Sebastian smiled, and led the boy up to his room. "My master is such a weak and fragile thing, is he not?" he mused, relieved that the boy scoffed at him.

"I bet you like your prey that way. It makes it easier to take advantage of them."

The demon chuckled. "I do not deny that, it is very amusing to say the least. However, remember Young Master, that you are not 'prey'." At least, not to the boy's knowledge.

Ciel didn't say anything as Sebastian set him on the bed, walking over to his dresser and pulling out pajamas and walking back. "What are you doing?"

Sebastian smiled. "I am helping you change. You seem too tired to do it yourself, am I correct?" he asked, as Ciel didn't say anything in response except to simply lift his arms up and allow the demon to slide his vest off and unbutton his shirt.

Sebastian's hands grazed over the smooth, revealing skin of the boy's chest as he worked to slowly undo the buttons. It was a familiar touch, another thing he wouldn't care to admit he missed. Touching the body, knowing how weak and fragile he was, always made Sebastian's stomach growl. The boy had always been beautiful, and a soul to match would make any demon ravenous. It was part of the routine Sebastian enjoyed most back then, being able to get a glimpse and a feel of what he would soon be able to indulge in.

However, Sebastian's stomach didn't growl, alerting him of its presence. It was similar back then as well. At one point, when changing the Young Master's clothes, he had failed to realize that he no longer felt hungry as his knuckles brushed the exposed skin, the scent of the soul no longer making his mouth water. When he finally did realize it, just days before the final battle that completed their contract, Sebastian had to think about what had went wrong. His master wasn't any different. He didn't stop killing or hurting others to achieve his goals. His soul still smelt amazing, the greatest thing Sebastian had seen in a long time, but it no longer appealed to him.

No, it still appealed to him, but when he thought about the end, how once that soul was his and the contract was over…

Sebastian's stomach did a slight flip as the shirt was slid off the slim and pale shoulders and pooled onto the bed, revealing the many scars that covered the body. Most of them were barely a visible line, but darker than the skin so they were still noticeable. They were many different shapes and sizes, lengths and widths, and Sebastian held back the smirk on his face.

Smirk, yes, because every new thing Sebastian discovered about this Ciel seemed to surprise him.

The boy himself was focusing his blue orbs down on the butler, looking for any trace of reaction at what he saw. The demon knew that this was some sort of test, and despite the dreaded mixed emotions he was feeling (amusement, anger, possessiveness—he was a demon after all) he merely looked up at the boy with a soft smile. "The Young Master has been through a lot. What are all these?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

Ciel seemed to relax a little and shrugged tiredly, removing his eyes from the butler and focusing them elsewhere. "They are proof that I had a past, and what I went through was real." Absently, he reached over and brushed his hand against a very long scar, tracing the outline with his index finger. It went across his smooth chest down to his side, the skin rising higher than the others. "This was the first one I got, the day I was kidnapped." He closed his eyes, bowing his head slightly as he recalled the memories. "Every scar represents a day I was in that hell hole, something I've lost, tears I've shed, and more. I've counted them all so many times, even the one's on my back. There's thirty-seven." He leaned back slightly, using his thin arms to support himself up as he looked back down at Sebastian. "It's easy to remember, because that was how old Rachelle was when she died."

Sebastian's soft smile fell as he continued to listen to the boy. Talking so big and sad for someone so small. "Young Master, please rest now. I can assure you that what you went through during that month will never happen again as long as I am by your side." He held up the shirt and slid it on the thin frame, this time not letting his fingers brush the skin, and then reaching down to slide the slacks off, revealing the pale, smooth legs that Sebastian gazed at a second too long in his opinion.

Ciel turned away again. "How can you be so sure?" he asked.

"I am a demon," Sebastian replied instantly, sliding the pajama shorts up his legs and Ciel readjusted himself so he could pull them all the way on. Once that was done, he collapsed backwards on the bed, letting out a sigh.

"How are your wounds?" he asked.

"Gone," Sebastian smiled. "The last trace of them disappeared yesterday."

Ciel was silent for a few moments, before muttering, "how nice."

"Young Master," Sebastian asked. "If you could have your scars disappear like a demon can, would you?" he asked.

This was Sebastian's own little test. He wasn't sure what answer he was looking for, but he was waiting to hear it.

Ciel chuckled once again, throwing the covers over his body. "I suppose the normal answer would be 'yes', but I don't think I would." Sebastian's eyes widened at this. Ciel's face darkened a little as he rolled over on his bed. "I don't want to forget what happened to me that day. I won't allow myself to forget the reason's I'm alive, no matter how much I want to."

After that, the room fell silent save for the slow breathing of the boy to indicate he fell asleep. Sebastian frowned for a few moments, before bowing and leaving to exit the room. Suddenly, a smirk came on his face and he let out a chuckle, covering his face to silence it and not wake up his master.

This Ciel Phantomhive passed his test.

* * *

**A/N**

**Sorry it took so long to upload this i've had major writers block for the second half of this chapter. **

**not much to say, except Jim creeps me out, yet at the same time i wish i had a friend like him. Haha**

**Please tell me what you think! This chapter might be weird but it was another filler. More good things to come, i promise!**

**And thank you guys so much for helping me acheive my goal! I was so happy when i got the last review! Cookies for everyone :)**


	10. That Butler, Helped

Ciel let out a sigh as he reclined back in his chair, nursing a cup of Earl Grey while rubbing his temple, trying to sooth his seemingly permanent headache.

He thought having one blonde friend was enough. Lizzy by herself was a handful. Now, with the appearance of this Jim kid, the last two days of Ciel's life had been loud and hectic, both at school and at home with his pathetic, accidentprone servants.

Since Monday, however, the same day he collapsed, the days had been awfully quiet, and Ciel wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing. However, he didn't give it much thought as his cell phone rang, causing the boy to let out another sigh as he leaned forward to grab the device off the wooden surface and answer it.

"Yes?" Ciel mumbled into the receiver, already knowing who it was.

"**Phantomhive, we have another job for you,"** the voice replied, as Ciel's eyes narrowed.

"Can't it wait?" he asked, blue orbs eyeing the neat piles of papers on his desk that related to his company's before-tax profit margin, capitalization ratios, and the company's foreign exchange transactions. Truly, these all should have been done days ago, but Ciel had been putting them off for as long as possible. "I'm busy." His head throbbed even more.

"**Keep in mind you have a collar around your neck," ** the voice, an old man, growled into the receiver, but Ciel merely smirked in response, knowing the man couldn't see it.

"Yes, and keep in mind that you aren't the one holding the leash," he retaliated.

This time, the man sighed. **"There really is no reasoning with you, is there?"** he asked.

"I wouldn't say that," the boy replied, rubbing his temples again. Really, he should have Mey-Rin bring him some medicine for it. "Catch my interest."

The man growled again, though it wasn't as vicious as before. **"I'm coming over."**

* * *

Sebastian had been cleaning various rooms when he came across the library, where the three servants stood, whispering to one another. Sebastian didn't have to get any closer to be able to hear what they were saying, his demon ears picked up everything perfectly, as if they were standing beside him and not twenty feet away.

"He has been lookin' a little paler than usual, eh?" he heard Bard say as he popped a cigarette in his mouth unlit. "But Sebastian took 'im to the doctor and Miss Anne didn't say anything to us so I'm sure 'e's fine."

"I don't know…" Finny replied. "I heard him the other night whispering to himself, something about January, I think." He paused. "And then two days ago when Mister Sebastian brought him home from school, he didn't look like he usually does when he has an asthma attack or anything. I'm worried."

This time, it was Mey-Rin's turn to speak; as she came down from the ladder she was on and faced her companions. "What about when he has to go on those jobs? If his condition is even weaker…" she shook her head. "Y-Young Master pushes himself too hard, he does."

They all nodded in agreement, and Sebastian chose that moment to walk away, instead of scolding them for standing around and chatting.

The demon was actually curious now. He hadn't observed the boy long enough before their official meeting to see his normal behavior patterns or skin coloring. To him, even back in those days, Ciel Phantomhive had always been weak and pale. Though, Sebastian could say that this boy was far weaker than his incarnation. His skin was a few shades paler as well. And when the boy collapsed that day, it wasn't due to an asthma or panic attack.

Sebastian shook his head. He was not getting worried over his master. Demons were not loyal to their masters or to anything for that matter. They did what they did based on their self values, striving to get that next meal. Un-contracted demons were even more disloyal to everything, which made Sebastian laugh.

With how he was now, playing butler for a sickly brat, he might as well have been in a contract.

The demon walked into the kitchen to get things started for breakfast. He absentmindedly started grabbing the dishes he needed, lost in his own thoughts yet never making one mistake.

He was uncontracted. Free. What was stopping him from going up to the study where the dark haired, blue-eyed boy sat, killing him and indulging in that soul right now? It would be much faster than simply allowing the child to order him around until he felt the need to make a contract. Plus, depending on his second wish, it could take years before he would be able to grant it. Why couldn't he just go up there and take what already should have belonged to him?

And after what the boy said at the doctor's office, and the other day when Sebastian was comparing the old Ciel and this Ciel, there was no guarantee the boy would even make a contract.

This idea weighed heavily on Sebastian's mind, and with each passing moment he hated Ciel Phantomhive even more. That boy sitting in his study a few floors above him… it was his entire fault and he didn't even know it. Sebastian wanted to kill him again, to spare himself all this trouble, but he knew he wouldn't.

He had missed his first chance, foolishly declining the offered soul and allowing it to reincarnate. This was his punishment—waiting. He could wait until the boy finally made a contract and remembered his past life. That way, he could see the look on his face when he finally realizes that he lost.

Sebastian pictured himself sucking the delectable soul right out from between those pale, thin lips, the scent filling his nostrils and the taste sending his tongue into a frenzy.

However, once again his stomach didn't growl, and instead felt sick. Sebastian grew angry and clenched his fists tightly, willing himself to be appealed by the images in his head.

"Damn…what is this?" He growled to himself, voice low and silent and dangerous.

Back in Victorian England, when the angel Angela was torturing him, he had told her that all he wanted was his Young Master, no one else. He said that, bound to a brick wall by chains, blood running down the side of his face and exposed torso, with that boy's soul in mind. He wanted that soul at the time. He still wanted it now. He wanted it feverishly. However, his stomach didn't seem to agree.

The doorbell rang, snapping the butler out of his infuriating thoughts. Sebastian mentally sighed in relief at the distraction and walked up to the small screen in the hall that showed visitors at the front door, thanks to the small, concealed camera on the door.

It was an old man, gray hair combed back with small, round glasses resting on the tip of his nose. He wore a brown hat with a matching brown suit, and a permanent scowl etched on his mustached face.

It was another familiar person; one Sebastian could care less about forgetting.

Sighing, the butler walked towards the door, knowing that if it was this person then it probably was something important. However, that didn't mean he would let the man inside, not after what happened all those years ago.

Putting on his best welcome smile, Sebastian opened the door and bowed. "Welcome to the Phantomhive residence, may I help you?" he asked.

"I need to see Phantomhive," he said, his voice a growl. The short answer irritated Sebastian.

"Is it important?" he asked. "The Young Master is extremely busy at the moment."

The scowl deepened. "He's expecting me, it's about the _job._ Now move." The word job was stressed, making the demon's eyebrow rise.

_The job? _Sebastian thought to himself. The toy company?

"Ah, Mister Arthur Randolph, our lord has been expecting you," Tanaka said from beside Sebastian. The elderly man turned towards the demon and smiled. "As you can see, we've hired a new hand." Sebastian and Tanaka stepped aside and allowed this century's Arthur Randall to enter, the man merely scoffing as the door was shut behind them. "He has yet to learn of the Young Master's…other duties."

"I see," Randolph replied, though he still sounded angry.

Sebastian was dumbfounded. Never before, even back then, had he been placed in such a position, one where he didn't know anything and needed another servant to step in and help him. And what other duties did the Young Master have? Surely this was something else that would have been useful to mention.

Then again, this only proved that Sebastian was out of touch with his Young Master, both the old version and the new version of him. He should have expected that this Ciel Phantomhive, being the reincarnation of a boy who also ran a very successful company at the same age, would also inherit duties similar to what the old Ciel Phantomhive had, like the duty of being the Queen's Watchdog. There was so little he truly knew about this Ciel Phantomhive, now that he thought about it. It only made him angrier.

However, like a good butler, he merely smiled and followed the house steward towards the parlor where the Young Master now sat, legs crossed as his head rested on his propped up arm.

" Randolph," Ciel greeted politely, as the older man scowled in annoyance.

"Phantomhive," he answered , as the young boy pointed to a chair across from him, and the man sat down.

"Excuse me," Tanaka said, bowing and exiting the room. Sebastian mentally shot a glare to the child and was about to excuse himself as well when Ciel raised his hand.

"Sebastian, stay."

The command sounded like the boy was talking to a dog. Not that Ciel would have known the fact that the demon WAS named after a dog. However, he bowed anyways, ignoring the smirk the boy sent him. "Yes, my lord."

When he sat up, he noticed the smirk disappeared, leaving Ciel simply staring blankly at him, similar to what happened the other day. However, instead of collapsing, the blueeyed boy shook his head and turned towards his guest.

"So Randolph, to what do I owe this pleasant visit?" he asked.

"The body disappeared."

Randolph replied without pause, getting straight to the chase, causing the already silent room to fall even more so, the pleasant look on Ciel's face disappearing instantly.

"What do you mean?" he asked, as the older male scowled deeper.

"I mean what I mean. Arnold Trancy's body just up and vanished from the morgue, as if it just got up and walked out." Randolph let out a grunt and crossed his arms. "It's impossible."

Ciel didn't say anything. Sebastian watched as the large, cold blue eyes simply widened in shock before narrowing in calculation.

So this was about the incident that happened a little over a week ago, when that unsightly man defiled the Young Master.

_The Young Master must have called the New Scotland Yard to come and pick the body up,_ the demon thought to himself, ignoring the unsettling feeling in his stomach. If it were Sebastian, he would have just left it to rot, but with technology these days, one could easily figure out who the last person in that room with him was with the smallest trace of DNA, and then there would be questions and interrogations and there would be no end to the young boy's problems.

Ciel, after a few more moments of sitting in the heavy silence, barring the sound of the nearby clock ticking on the wall, , finally spoke up; "It's not impossible, with a little help," the boy finally said.

Randolph scoffed. "Are you implying someone stole the body? Who'd want to do that?"

"_**No matter, you won't survive my boss anyways, so I don't care if you see my face."**_

"_**If you don't sign over your inheritance from your filthy parents then I'll kill you here and now, screw the punishment I'll get from my boss later."**_

The memories hurt. Ciel was inwardly wincing as he recalled what happened that day. The images of Arnold Trancy touching him, the feel of his dry cracked lips on his neck, what he was planning on doing to him… It was too much like that month he spent in hell. However, his memories held information about this case, about the mysterious boss, that they needed, so he sucked his discomfort up as best as he could and looked back over at his guest.

Sebastian felt a small change in his Young Master and looked over to see the boy simply sitting there, lost in thought. No doubt he was remembering what happened to him. However, just as soon as he felt the change in his master it disappeared, and the boy was strong again, pale face set in determination as he looked back over at Randolph, the slightest hint of a smile on his face.

"Yes, I am implying that. Arnold often mentioned something about a boss he was planning on taking me to, so perhaps he is the one responsible for taking the body."

"Do you have any proof?" Randolph asked, leaning forward in his chair. "Tell me everything you know."

Sebastian watched as his Young Master sighed and leaned back in his own chair, bringing his hand up to his chin in thought. "I have no proof, but I think I know where I can get some."

* * *

It was later that day, after Arthur Randolph left, that the demon and the master found themselves in front of a run down, bleak looking building.

"He's still around," Sebastian mused to himself before looking down at his master. "Do you know this person?"

Ciel shook his head. "Not personally, but this was the morgue where the body was stolen and my own father came here from time to time to get information for his own jobs."

"You still haven't explained to me exactly what these jobs are, Young Master," Sebastian sighed. "I thought I have told you to fill me in on any necessary information I should know. This would have been very helpful."

Ciel shrugged. "It didn't seem that important at the time." He frowned. "Besides, after January this won't be my job anymore."

Sebastian froze for a split second, a memory from earlier flashing in his mind.

"_**I don't know…" Finny replied. "I heard him the other night whispering to himself, something about J**__**anuary, I think."**_

Finny said that, but what did January have to do with anything?

"Well? Let's go," Ciel said, raising an eyebrow at his butler's silence. Sebastian snapped his head back to the boy and smiled, nodding his head and stepping forward to open the gray, dirty looking door.

As the door closed behind them, the large sign that read UNDERTAKER in big bold letters rattled against the brick.

* * *

**Sorry for the wait, Here's the next chapter! Looks like some more characters are going to be introduced :):)**

**So, i hope you R&R! I'll update faster! My own little goal is to get to 110 reviews this chapter, but if not its okay :)**


	11. That Butler, Cautious

Ciel nearly gagged as the musty, dirt-chemical smell filled his nose as his eyes tried to focus enough to see into the darkness of the small room.

Everything seemed familiar. The smell, the lighting, the coffins littering the floor as well as the walls, along with the various jars full of strange colored liquids on the shelves that appeared in the back. It was all too familiar, though Ciel knew he'd never stepped foot in this place before.

"Young Master, are you alright?" Sebastian asked from behind the boy, who was oddly still and silent as he observed his surroundings. When there was no response, he reached out to grab the child's shoulder but he sensed something, instantly igniting his demon senses, though a little too late.

Barely having time to let out a gasp at what he knew was about to happen, Sebastian was tackled to the ground with force, a loud screeching sound filling the once eerily silent room. The demon cursed the world as the color red swarmed his vision.

"Bassy! Darling! Oh, how I've missed you so!"

Ciel watched, nearly being tackled himself, as his butler was struggling to free himself from the hold of a long red-haired man, clad head to toe in a vibrant red. Taken aback, he stepped backwards and tripped, falling into a casket that sat opened behind him with a slight 'umph!'

Sebastian heard his master fall and sighed, kicking with all his might the very heavy death god and standing up. "I did not think you were still around," he said, voice laced with disappointment.

Grell Sutcliff hastily got up from his spot on the opposite side of the room, still squealing like a small school girl. "Sebby darling, you're so cruel! Making my body all hot and then disappearing for so long! I feel like the Princess Bride~~!" He swooned, clasping his hands together and giggling. "How about a passionate red dress for our wedding?" the redheaded reaper winked. "Or I could go in a birthday suit."

"You are truly disgusting," Sebastian sighed, rubbing his temples. Grell wailed happily.

"You're the same as ever, my little demon!" he squealed. . "The fire in your eyes is the perfect thing to set our love ablaze!"

Ciel was listening from his spot in the casket, struggling to get up due to his position. His thin legs were still dangling over the sides and the narrow sides made it difficult to push himself off of the cushioned bottom. However, a chuckling could be heard from above him and Ciel froze, stopping his efforts and looking up above him.

A man, silvery hair covering half his face, was grinning down at him. "You've returned, Earl."

Luckily, Ciel managed to salvage what was left of his pride after falling in the casket and hold back his scream.

Sebastian and Grell turned to see the Undertaker hovering over the casket Ciel was laying in, Grell's smile faltering as he caught a glance inside and saw the very familiar boy, blue eyes and all, and then turned back to the demon, a questionable look on his face. Sebastian merely smiled as he walked up beside the long, gray haired, retired death god.

"Who are you?" Ciel asked the man, who just laughed in response.

"Kukuku... I suppose not all of you, though," he answered cryptically , twirling around, the black robe that hung over his shoulders twirling with him. "My, how that casket suits you, though you're just a wee bit early to be in it."

Ciel was scooped up in Sebastian's arms before being set gently down on the dark, wooden floor that creaked under his weight. "Who are you people?" he asked, eyeing the two suspicious characters before him. Grell looked the boy up and down and frowned deeper.

"That is the Undertaker, the man you came to see," Sebastian calmly replied, his trademark smile displayed on his flawless face. And the man over there is Grell Sutcliff, a death god, or grim reaper."

"I'm a lady," Grell retaliated but didn't say anything more, while Undertaker walked up and leaned against the counter in the back, smirking wildly.

Sebastian was surprised that his master barely batted an eye at the mention of the death god. Surely, the boy would have shown something—the previous Ciel did, though, when Sebastian thought about it, it wasn't under the best circumstances since there was a murder just a moment or two before finding out. "You do not seem surprised that there are beings like this in your world," Sebastian mused outwardly. Maybe the child didn't hear him correctly?

Ciel froze in brushing his wrinkled clothes off, his gaze drifting to the reaper and back to the floor. "I've met one before," he answered in bored tone, , though Sebastian could hear traces of sadness and regret in it.

Sebastian was the one surprised at hearing this.

However, before he could question his master, the Undertaker began to laugh again, his hand reaching into a jar and pulling out a bone shaped biscuit. "Ciel Phantomhive wants to see me?" he asked. "It's been far too long~~I'm overjoyed," he said, snickering again.

Ciel raised an eyebrow. "It's the first time I've been here, unless you're referring to my father."

The Undertaker didn't say anything, looking over at Sebastian's smiling face. "I know why you're here, yes I do," he said, changing the subject, but it was unnoticed.

"Young Master, may I have a word with Grell outside?" Sebastian asked, feeling the intense stare from the death god. However, at the mention of his darling Sebastian wanting to talk to him alone, his stern expression disappeared and he gave another girly squeal.

"Of…of course you may, darling! The children don't need to see things get hot and steamy in here," he smiled, his shark-like teeth glistening from the little light there was leaking into the windows.

Ciel shrugged. "I don't care," he replied, turning back to the strange man in front of him. Sebastian smiled and headed outside with Grell.

* * *

"Sebby, honey, you're a bad boy~!" Grell cooed, as Sebastian beamed.

"Thank you," he answered. . "I am sure by your expression earlier that you are aware of the situation I am currently in."

Grell's smile fell and he crossed his arms. "Ciel Phantomhive should be dead without the chance to reincarnate. His soul was fated to be eaten by _you_."

"And yet here he is," Sebastian stated, his face growing more serious. "I refused to eat his soul for a strange reason and now he has reincarnated."

"And it doesn't look like the kid's got his memories either," the reaper observed. . "You've broken so many rules, darling." Emerald eyes focused on ruby ones.

"I am well aware, breaking a contract and then pursuing the same human's reincarnation. And not to mention, I plan on making a new contract with him once he allows it."

"You haven't made one yet? Then why follow that brat around?"

Sebastian smiled. "It is so I can be sure he does make one, and that I am the demon he will make it with." He paused. "I also want to help him regain his past memories, but I can only do that after he makes a contract, which is why I wanted to talk to you and to ask that you do not bring up the past in front of him."

If Ciel knew of his past before making a contract, then he might not want to do it again knowing what befell him the first time.

Grell gave a contemplating look before shaking his head. "Do you know why souls reincarnate?" he asked, and Sebastian's smile fell. He never really did think about it, no demon did. They never had to, because the person they contracted with shouldn't be able to reincarnate in the first place due to their soul being eaten. "It's because they want to."

Sebastian, once again, stayed silent, and Grell gushed. "Oh, your face is so cute right now!"

"What do you mean about them choosing to reincarnate?" Sebastian asked, ignoring the comment, and Grell smirked.

"I'll tell you for a kiss."

"No."

"Wahh~~ So cold, yet such a fiery response! My blood's boiling!" Sebastian shot him a warning look and Grell stiffened, sighing in defeat and getting serious again. "You've heard of ghosts sticking around after death because of unfinished business, well reincarnation is the same. Stronger souls who still feel like they have something they have to do have a chance at being reincarnated. Of course, it takes some persuading to allow the reaper who was sent to get them let them go, but it happens often. After all, it's not like we'd never get the soul, just at a later time then planned."

Sebastian listened intently as Grell spoke, his mind frantically racing. "So my master is here because he wants to be?" he clarified , as Grell nodded.

"Reincarnation happens often, but in this case it's a bad thing," Grell continued. "Phantomhive was never supposed to have a place at the library, he was always meant to be eaten by you, the lucky—" he stopped himself and sighed. "Honestly, he always gets the good men," he mumbled, shaking his head. "Anyways, the kid is proof that you broke the laws that angels, reapers, and demons have agreed on. That's bad for you, by the way," he added. "And in the end when we do get his soul—"

"You will not be getting it, because I am going to eat it," Sebastian interrupted darkly. Grell smirked.

"Whatever you say, Bassy," he replied. . "Ciel Phantomhive's soul is very valuable now, especially since it escaped a demon. Watch out for the reapers who don't want you to get your hands on it again."

Grell was being a little cryptic, which annoyed Sebastian. What did he mean? Did he not believe Sebastian would eat his soul? The only way that could happen would be if the boy died suddenly, and there was no way that that was happening with him around.

"Don't be sad, Sebby darling! You can put your hands on me!"

Sebastian darkened. "Yes, I would very much like to put my hands on you. Around your neck, to be precise," he said darkly, causing Grell to shudder.

"I always knew you liked it rough, Sebby darl—" he was cut off as Sebastian really did put his gloved and contract less hands around the thin neck of the annoying reaper.

After a few minutes, Grell agreed to stop talking dirty.

"So is there a way to find out why my little master agreed to be reincarnated?" Sebastian asked, a smile on his face as he stood above the battered death god who was lying on the ground. Grell shook his head, whining at the pain he felt.

"You'd have to ask the reaper that was sent to claim him. Will makes everyone file a report when they let a soul go, and they'd have to explain the soul's reason for wanting to live."

Sebastian sighed. Oh well, he could figure it out later. He'd just have to put his curiosity on hold for the moment. It wasn't like he could ask his master anyways, the boy didn't remember anything. "Do you at least know the reaper?" he asked, as Grell stood up and brushed his clothes off.

"Alan Humphries, I think."

* * *

"So if you know why I'm here, why aren't you saying anything?" Ciel asked, huffing in annoyance as he crossed his arms and looked towards the door Sebastian had exited out of. The light was getting dimmer and dimmer as it got later in the evening, and Ciel really didn't want to stay in this creepy place too long.

Undertaker laughed some more, crunching on another biscuit. "You really don't remember," he said, more to himself than to Ciel. The boy was confused. "Though I guess it's understandable, reapers have to erase the records."

"What are you talking about?" Ciel asked, as the man shrugged.

"Nothing about you yet, of course." He smiled. "But go on, ask me about the case you're working on," he continued , as Ciel sighed, letting the conversation drop there. He was running out of time.

"Were you here when the body was stolen?" He asked. Undertaker nodded.

"Kukuku…I was, but not a peep was made. The body I made all beautiful was stolen while I was working on another customer. Drowned in a lake, suicide I think. She looks much better now," he said, bringing his hands together. Black, eerily long fingernails caught Ciel's eye and he stared at them for a few seconds before glancing at his own hands.

"So you don't know who did it? No evidence was left?" he asked, as Undertaker laughed again.

"The thief moved so fast, it was _demon_ like," he explained , stressing the word demon, as Ciel's thoughts flashed to Sebastian.

Was it possible? Did Sebastian steal Arnold Tracy's body? What reason would he have to?

"As for evidence, well…" he trailed off, grinning madly, which really made Ciel uneasy. This guy didn't seem to have his head screwed on all the way. "There was one thing that the Yard missed that I found oddly interesting."

Ciel raised an eyebrow. "What was it?"

More laughing. Honestly, that was all the man seemed to do. "It was a new coffin. It was ordered especially for that man. However, when the body was gone and I examined it closer… I found a spider web in the corner of it." He crunched on another biscuit before standing up from his seat on a closed casket and walked closer to Ciel. "Very odd indeed," he smiled.

"That is odd," Ciel agreed halfheartedly, focusing intently on the Undertaker who kept getting closer to him. He was uncomfortable, and a little terrified, but he wouldn't show it on his face.

"It really _is_ nice to see you again, Earl," the Undertaker said with another eerie smile. "Let's not let our next meeting be when I'm decorating you up for your funeral, shall we?" he asked, and instantly Ciel stood up, walking away from the man and towards the door.

"I make no promises. Exactly one month after my birthday, January 14th, I'm not supposed to be here anymore." He turned back towards the Undertaker. "If you're associated with grim reapers, and you claim to know me, surely you know that fact already, right?" he asked, as the Undertaker nodded.

"Of course. However, nothing says you can't stop by again and pick out your own casket. Something glorious that befits one such as yourself."

"No thanks," Ciel replied flatly. "I don't deserve to be glorified after death." And with that, he turned back around to leave, having even less information than he needed before he arrived, and not just about the missing body. Though he really didn't see how a spider web was any evidence, so he was slightly frustrated. Especially at the fact that the Undertaker seemed to know him without his knowledge of it.

The laughing heard in the background ceased once Ciel shut the door behind him, instantly focusing on the weird guy and Sebastian standing in front of him. They both turned towards him, the demon giving his trademark smile. "Have you finished, Young Master?" he asked.

Ciel eyed the two suspiciously. Obviously if Sebastian had brought Grell out to talk privately and away from him, it was important. However, he had more important matters to think about at the moment.

However, as he thought that and his gaze drifted from the reaper back to his demon, he couldn't help but think of the red coat, the one slung across the elbows and blew slightly in the winter breeze, was very familiar looking. Vintage, Victorian styled, and a very vibrant shade of red, one that looked oddly familiar and Ciel couldn't help but think about his aunt. It looked like something she would wear.

Ciel shook his head. "The case is far from solved, but talking to that guy in there is useless. Let's go," he said, brushing past Sebastian and heading towards the parked car.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Sebastian darling," Grell said with a sigh. "With this discovery, don't think you're getting off easy. If the time comes, I won't hesitate to color you in red," he smiled, his shark like teeth gleaming. Sebastian smiled back.

"I wouldn't want it any other way," he replied, turning to follow Ciel who had stopped and waited for him. The boy didn't hear the exchange of words, maybe because they were talking too quietly and the wind blew past his ear too loudly, but he didn't know what was said.

"What was that about?" Ciel asked, as Sebastian smirked.

"Young Master wants to know?" he asked, as Ciel rolled his eyes.

"Not really, just curious. Both of those guys are suspicious. I don't trust them."

Sebastian just smiled and opened the back seat door for the boy. "Of course, but Grell Sutcliff and I go farther back. He proves useful when I want to get some information."

Before Ciel slid in, however, he was stopped by a voice shouting his name.

"Ciel~~!"

Both Sebastian and his master turned at the sound, seeing a familiar blond boy running towards them happily, waving his arm around wildly. "Ciel! What are you doing here?" Jim asked, coming to a stop in front of the shorter male. Ciel mentally groaned, crossing his arms and scowling.

"It's none of your business. What are you doing here?" he asked. Currently, they were on the side of the street right in front of the morgue, and Ciel really didn't feel like dealing with the annoying child.

"You're mean, Ciel. I was just taking a walk and I saw you! Want to come walk with me?" he asked.

"No."

Jim pouted, nonchalantly turning his gaze from the boy towards the tall man clad in black.

Their gazed locked, and almost instantly Sebastian's senses flared. Maybe it was the look in those icy blue eyes, or the sadistic looking smirk that appeared for less than a second, but Sebastian didn't like him. There were hidden motives behind this child that he sensed. This boy was not to be trusted.

However, the feeling disappeared once their eye contact broke and Jim smiled back at Ciel. "Well, maybe next time! I really want to hang out with you. We'd have a bloody blast!"

Ciel didn't say anything, answering with a shrug before turning and climbing into the car, Sebastian bowing as his master did so. "Please excuse us," he said, happy to finally be getting his master away from the strange child. Once the car was moving and Jim Macken was slowly receding, Ciel sighed.

"I don't like him," he muttered. Sebastian gazed out the back window, crimson eyes narrowing as the watched the boy smirk once again, his pink tongue wetting his lips as he swiftly turned and walked away.

"Indeed," he replied, the car falling silent as the butler and master both turned to gaze out the window, fresh snow falling to the ground.

* * *

**A/N**

**I hope you like this chapter!**

**Undertaker and Grell appeared! Grell was a surprise for everyone. If you're wondering what he was doing in the shop, he was probably just flirting with the Undertaker. :)**

**Kind of a filler/plot forwarder. I hope I kept Grell and the undertaker in character! Poor Ciel, he's soo confused haha XD but I chose to spare him from learning about his past life. I've got something special planned for that. And what happened to the body? Why is Jim so creepy? Heck, even Sebastian was a little freaked out! And what is Ciel's reason for wanting to be reincarnated? **

**Can't wait to see you next chapter!**


	12. That Butler, Satisfied

Grell huffed as he strolled back into the dim room, black-gloved hands resting firmly on his hips as he scowled with annoyance.

"That brat, I swear, Sebby darling has a thing for being led around on a leash. I think he likes it."

The Undertaker emerged from the darkened corner, chuckling merrily as he did so, silvery hair glinting in the very little light. "Ciel Phantomhive truly has returned. How interesting," he mused, walking up to the shelf in the back and snagging the large jar off it, screwing the lid off and pulling out a bone shaped biscuit.

Grell sneered. "I really hate that kid. I'm just glad I don't have to see him for much longer." Undertaker giggled as Grell pulled out a thin black tablet, pushing a button causing the screen to illuminate his face, and scrolled down the page he was on. Name after name, date after date, were sprawled out on the page, and Grell mumbled something about how he was glad the old fashioned reapers decided to modernize. Finally, he stopped. "Yep, right here. Ciel Phantomhive, January 14th, 2012, died from blood loss." He pointed at the screen beside a picture of the said boy.

Undertaker didn't say anything for a while, he simply smiled and munched on another biscuit, leaning heavily on the counter. "He knows," he finally said at last.

Grell raised a brow, looking through his glasses at the retired death god. "Knows what?" he asked, putting the tablet down at his side, still held firmly in his hand.

"He knows he's going to die," The Undertaker answered said, this time breaking out into another fit of giggles. "Someone screwed up," he lightly chided in between his giggles, clearly more amused than anything.

"What?" Grell asked, panic rising in his voice. "Impossible. Humans don't have the death list, so he would have no way of knowing unless someone…" he trailed off, surprised face morphing into a scowl as he clenched his hands. "Someone blabbed."

"It seems so," the silver haired male mused, crossing his arms loosely in front of his chest.

"It must have been that reaper he claimed to have met before," Grell said sighing, crossing his arms. "Honestly, does no one know how things work anymore?" he huffed dramatically, protruding his hip out farther and placing a hand on it. "Really, this lady is getting tired of being forced to clean up after everyone. I just wanted to relax with my darling Sebby…" he whined to himself. "Will is gonna have a cow when he hears about Sebby following Ciel Phantomhive's reincarnation around, along with the boy knowing about his death after seeing the list." His scowl deepened. "And I know just who to blame that last part on."

"Oh really?" Undertaker asked, absently walking back over to the casket he showed Ciel earlier, brushing his long nails against it. Grell nodded, watching him carefully.

"Yeah… oh, about why I'm here, are you sure you don't know what happened to the body?" Grell asked as he continued staring at the coffin.

"That man was hideous, only becoming beautiful after death. I'm surprised so many people have taken an interest in him," Undertaker replied said, bringing a thin, white finger to his in on mock thought. Grell shook his head.

"He was still pretty beastly looking even after death. Fat and ugly, nothing like my beautiful Will or my handsome devil Sebby." His golden emerald eyes narrowed. "But you know why I'm interested. When he died, there was no soul on in his body. I came here to investigate, but that appears to be useless since he's gone." He pouted. "How can a reaper lose a body?"

Undertaker busted out laughing again, this time a bit of drool trickling down the corner of his mouth. The red headed reaper was getting very annoyed, having clearly said something neither funny or neither funny nor amusing. "Kukukuku! He was a tricky fellow, I didn't even sense him until he already left." He brought a bit of the fabric hanging over his hands to his mouth to suppress the rest of his laughs. "Don't bother investigating any further, the soul is a lost cause."

Grell furrowed his brows. "But the demon—"

"—will come back as long as Ciel Phantomhive is around. You needn't worry about that. The Earl is a magnet for danger."

Grell nodded reluctantly and gave another sigh. "Well then, if you say there's no reason to investigate then I'm done here. This place freaks me out," he said with a shudder. "However, before opening up the door and stepping out, he stopped and looked back over at his retired senior. "If you find anything out let Will know, because I could care less, about this dead man or that little fly my Bassy has gotten so obsessed with," he finished.

A giggle. "Of course. Men like Arnold Trancy are born to be devoured by sorrow," Undertaker stated started in a rare moment of wisdom, "and flies like you claim Ciel Phantomhive to be are born to be devoured by spiders." He grinned. "I hope the Earl realizes his role as the fly soon before he gets trapped in its webs."

"He already is," Grell answered said, face serious. "He's already on the list, there's no changing that."

"Unless his death is prevented," the retired reaper mused, as and Grell turned back towards the door.

"That won't happen if William has anything to say about it. You know how strict his is with the death list. He'll make sure everyone dies the way they were meant to."

"Is there really a specific way for Ciel Phantomhive to die; a soul so special that, as I recall, you weren't even supposed to have at all?"

Grell shook his head. "I don't like to get technical with these things; it's confusing enough and causing me to develop premature wrinkles. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to have a little chat with Ronald." Grell growled. "I don't care how cute he is, showing a human the death list deserves punishment. Of course, if I had it my way, I'd be the one punished, and by both Will _and_ Sebby…" he said, trailing off in thought as he slammed the door shut behind him. Undertaker's grin never wavered.

"I can't wait for the show to start. You promise to make it a very amusing one, Earl," the reaper giggled into the darkness.

* * *

The car ride was silent, neither Sebastian nor Ciel finding the will to speak, both too lost in their own thoughts. Ciel was leaning up against the window as the white scenery flew by, the blue eyes fixed on the frozen land stretched out as houses became fewer and fewer, before more came into view as they entered the neighborhood.

Ironically, despite the view his eyes were fixed on, his mind was thinking of the demon beside him.

_Did Sebastian steal Arnold Trancy's body? _Was the main question on his mind. _What reason would he have to? _The Undertaker made it very obvious that it was something supernatural, even going as far as to plainly hint that a demon was the thing that stole it, and Sebastian was the only demon he'd s met. Though when he thought about it, there could be other demons running around. But why would a different demon steal Trancy's body? It didn't make sense.

Ciel's gaze shifted towards the demon beside him, watching him from the corner of his eye.

It's barely been a week since Sebastian started working with him, and the blue haired boy hated to admit it but he had grown used to the tall, black clad figure. Sebastian was a…comforting presence. One that reassured him and made him feel safe. It was a very familiar feeling, but not one he could place. It wasn't something he felt with his parents or their friends as a child. No, it wasn't a feeling he had never felt before. Then why could he say it was familiar? There was something about the sound of the clicking of footsteps as they followed him down the sidewalk from school, something about the feel of the gloved hands as they brushed over his scars while his pajamas were being changed the other night; something about the way the demon _spoke_ that felt natural to Ciel.

Sebastian caught Ciel staring at him and smiled. "Is something the matter, Young Master?" he asked.

How long the boy was watching him, the demon didn't know. His thoughts were back on the recent conversation he had with Grell about reincarnation.

_There is a reason my Young Master wanted to be reincarnated. _What it was, Sebastian wanted to find out. However, he had no way of doing so, seeing as the boy had no memories whatsoever. And if he did get them back, there was still the chance that he wouldn't tell him.

The whole, 'having no memories' problem was something that weighed heavily on Sebastian. On one hand, the demon didn't want the boy to get his memories back, that way he could make a new contract without ever knowing that Sebastian didn't complete the first. On the other hand, the nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach wanted Ciel to remember. For what reason, he didn't know, nor did he care. If anything, he wanted the boy to get his memories back after they made their contract, that way he'd be completely helpless to do anything about it. Sebastian could eat his soul and wipe the look of betrayal and regret off his pale, porcelain face, or, better yet; stain in there permanently.

It was after this thought that Sebastian had turned to see the boy, the current bane of his existence, when he noticed the boy already looking at him.

Ciel huffed, quickly averting his gaze back out the window to hide his slight embarrassment. "Nothing really, just thinking about what the Undertaker said to me."

"Oh?" Sebastian asked, raising an eyebrow. "What did he say?"

Ciel looked back over at the demon, his face cold. The expression he wore very Ciel Phantomhive-like. "He hinted that it was a demon that stole the body."

For some reason, as that last line like was said, Sebastian's thoughts flashed to the blond boy they met outside the morgue. The one he instantly didn't trust. "Interesting," he replied. A smirk crossed his lips. "Do you think I did it?" he asked innocently.

The back of the car went silent save for the hum of the engine and the occasional car bypassing them.

Ciel turned his whole upper half of his body towards the black clad demon, his eyes narrowed and full of purpose. "Sebastian, would you ever lie to me?" he asked.

For a second, Sebastian froze. His smirk faltered, something unnoticeable to the human eye, and his mouth threatened to twitch into a frown. It was another reminder that this wasn't his Ciel Phantomhive. It was an innocent question, asked with fierce determination, something that was just like the boy's incarnation. However, the question itself was what threw him off.

The question asked reminded Sebastian that he wasn't in a contract anymore. Not with this Ciel. He was a free demon. He could lie. He was allowed to, without the covenant holding him back. Without the stained skin on the back of his hand proving that he was the loyal servant to the Queen's Watchdog, Earl Ciel Phantomhive, he could lie whenever he wanted to whoever he wanted.

"No," he replied, his sincerest smile on his face.

The boy scoffed. "You liar," however, he seemed to ease back into his seat and leaned his shoulder against the door. "But tell me this; did you steal Arnold Trancy's body?"

"So you were suspecting me?" Sebastian asked, forcing amusement into his voice. The way the boy just called him on his lie, yet didn't seem to care, made him curious.

"It's a simple question, Sebastian," Ciel answered said, his voice bored. "Just answer it."

Sebastian smiled, placing his hand over where a heart should be. "I did not," he said smoothly. It was not a lie.

Ciel sighed. "Okay, I believe you," he answered. "However, our only clue is a spider web that appeared after the body was stolen from a casket that arrived the same day. No fingerprints or anything." He gave a small smirk. "This case ended the second it began."

"Are you giving up?" Sebastian asked, his smile disappearing. The boy shook his head.

"I'm not interested in this case. If anything, I'm glad he's gone, ." Ciel replied. "I hope he's never found."

Sebastian's frown deepened. "Then why did we come all the way out here?" he asked.

The car fell silent once more, Ciel shifting his focus towards the window once more. "I wanted to be sure he was gone. Randolph told me he was, wants me to investigate, but I won't. I just wanted to see if he really was gone."

"What if he was still there?" Sebastian asked. "If you want him to be gone, his body to disappear and never be seen by human eyes again, would you do something about it?"

This was Sebastian's own little test, much like the one he gave the other night asking his master about the scars. He wasn't sure what answer he was looking for, but he'd know if he heard it.

Ciel, after a few silent moments in thought, finally shook his head. "No, there would be no point. He's dead, and would still be dead even if I had the body moved somewhere isolated."

"What if he was still alive?" Sebastian asked. "What if he was breathing, up and walking about London?"

_Would you take revenge?_

Ciel looked back up at his butler. "Remember at _their_ grave, when I mentioned the things I regretted?" Ciel asked, making Sebastian furrow his brows together in thought before nodding. The demon remembered, but he didn't see what the little talk he had with his parents' headstones had to do with anything. Ciel continued. "I told them the only thing I regretted was showing the world that a Phantomhive can break. I showed the man who violated me that I… I could feel pain." There was a pause as his ocean blue eyes hardened. "I vowed never to show that feeling again." He clenched his gloved hands beside him on the leather seat, the sound reaching Sebastian's ears but he never once took his eyes off the boy.

"What you're asking me about is revenge, am I right?" Ciel asked, receiving nothing but a forced, calm and knowing look from Sebastian.

Of course, revenge was everything to the old Ciel Phantomhive. He wanted revenge as payment for the humiliation he suffered at the hands of those that ruined his life. It was his drive for revenge that made their contract so strong. It was one of the reasons Sebastian had been so faithful to him; the determined and powerful look, the fierce will he had when he got one step closer to his goal, was something Sebastian rarely saw in a human. The reflections of a tainted soul made sweet by the purity it possessed.

Ciel's lip was drawn in a tight line as he took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a brief moment before they opened up and gazed back at him. "No, I don't want revenge. Not over the man who made my life hell or the man who went and violated me." Sebastian's crimson eyes widened, not sure what to make of what he was hearing. Was this boy serious? He had the chance to humiliate the people who humiliated him, and he was throwing it away? "I told myself I would never acknowledge what I felt that month or that day. Revenge is confessing that pain. And a confession of pain is just what my enemies want to know that they hurt me to begin with."

Sebastian wanted to be angry. He wanted to call the boy foolish, and escape, leave his presence as quickly as possible. A Ciel Phantomhive, he always figured, was useless without the thirst for revenge to season his soul.

This Ciel wanted nothing to do with revenge; however, his back was still turned from the light.

That's right. Sebastian thought, after hearing that statement, he would become disgusted with the boy. However, this Ciel wore the same look. The same determination filled his eyes, and the same fire still blazed in his heart. The unwavering will he possessed still as strong as steel. His soul was still deliciously tainted.

The same soul but for different reasons.

"I see. How admirable of you," Sebastian replied said, and without another word from either of them, the car fell silent again. Ciel stared at the demon a few more seconds before resuming his position at the window, having said all he needed to say.

Sebastian wanted to frown, but a smirk found its way to his lips instead.

It was no where near the answer he expected to hear, and he couldn't deny the taste of disgust building on his tongue, but in all honesty, Sebastian admitted to himself that this test was passed as well, and that this Ciel Phantomhive was proving more and more meal worthy with each little passing detail the demon learned about him, despite how different he was to the original Ciel.

He mentally licked his lips as his stomach grumbled in protest.

* * *

**A/N**

**Sorry for the long wait!**

**Some plot was revealed in this chapter! There's been a lot of mentioning about spiders...i wonder what that means? ;)**

**And we found out Ciel is going to die soon T_T i'm sad to say that i'm actually looking forward to writing that chapter! It's gonna be the climax of the story! Maybe... and yeah, we've had other shinigami mentioned like Alan Humphries and Ronald Knox, and don't worry, they will appear! I love my little death gods! Hahaha**

**Please review! I want to make sure the story is going good! See you next chapter! I have a lot more to say but my laptops gonna die on my soon so i'll wait til next time. Bye~~**


	13. That Butler, Murder

The journey back to the mansion was followed by a call to Randolph, much to Ciel's disdain. He knew the man wouldn't like what he told him, and the yelling and the thumping from the other end of the line proved the twelve-year-old boy correct.

He was truly uninterested in the case, and had been since the moment Arthur Randolph had called him earlier and stopped by to tell him about it in person. Arnold Trancy was out of his life for good, and Ciel had no interest in pursuing what was dead. That man was dead to him.

Arthur listened to Ciel's phony explanation about how lack of evidence made the case difficult to pursue, and after muttering something about how _she_ wasn't going to like this, eventually hung up. Ciel shook his head and sighed, knowing he can expect a call in the near future from his other boss. It shouldn't be that big of a deal, however. It was just a body stolen. A dead body, at that.

Dead. Death. Those words had always left an impression in Ciel's head, because when he heard them, his thoughts flew to his parents. They were dead. Ciel was there for their death.

However, when he now thought of the words, he was surprised to find that his parents, bodies burning as their faces contorted with silent screams, no longer sprung up into his mind.

Instead, he thought of himself.

Last night wasn't the first night Ciel had laid in his bed, shaking and trembling from another one of his nightmares and waiting for his inevitable death. However, this time, he thought about how familiar the feeling was, as if he'd s waited for his death longer than the day a year ago when he found out about it. In another sense, Ciel felt like he should already be dead.

"_**This was my life. This was how I lived. But…I'm dead now."**_

"Young Master?" a familiar voice asked, cutting Ciel out of his trance. The blue-eyed boy looked down to see that the phone was still in his hand, the dial tone filling the silence of the room. Ciel took in a deep breath and looked over at Sebastian. His stomach lurched as he locked eyes with the crimson ones, and, for the very briefest of seconds, Ciel thought about what if would be like to feel the fabric of Sebastian's gloves around his throat, clutching his thin neck until it snapped like a twig or he turned blue from lack of oxygen. He thought about what it f would be like to have his torso impaled, the white gloves stained red with his blood as Sebastian drove his arm through him, just like he did with Arnold Trancy.

He thought about what it f would be like to die by Sebastian's hands.

Suddenly, Ciel started coughing violently, wheezing and clutching at his chest in pain.

What were those thoughts? They weren't his, why was he thinking them? Why on earth would he want to be killed by Sebastian?

"Young Master!" the demon shouted, instantly appearing by the boy's side. After a few more seconds of his coughing fit, Ciel began to take deeper breaths as he leaned back in his chair, eyes shut as another cough or two escaped his thin lips. It was small; the coughing and wheezing only lasting two minutes, but it was an asthma attack.

"I-I'm fine," Ciel mumbled shakily. Sebastian seemed to relax slightly as he extended the boy's inhaler to him.

"Forgive me, Young Master, for failing to sense it coming."

Ciel didn't say anything, just took the inhaler and took two puffs of it. He was too disturbed by his own thoughts, the ones he refused to claim as his own.

"Tomorrow, I believe you should stay home from school, just to be safe," Sebastian continued as he walked over to the study door to shut it while Ciel took another puff of his inhaler absentmindedly. "I have read books about asthma, and I believe your case is mild, but your symptoms seem to act up when under a serious amount of stress, which you have been, as of late. I think taking a day or two off for rest would be beneficial for you, considering the fact you do not need to bother with that school while you are already taking college classes…"

"Sebastian," Ciel growled, his breathing mostly even now as he looked up at his butler from behind the large desk. However, when met once again with the blood red eyes, Ciel realized he didn't know what he wanted to say. His mouth just seemed to call out for Sebastian without him willing it to.o. What was wrong with him today?

"Yes, Young Master?" Sebastian asked after he was met with silence from the boy. He could tell that something about the young CEO was off, which was even more of a reason he should stay home from school and rest tomorrow.

Ciel still didn't say anything, conflicting with himself mentally. He glanced at the clock. It was late, and he should have been in bed hours ago. Lack of sleep must have been the reason for his strange behavior.

"I'm still going to school tomorrow, it's the last day before winter break. Christmas is Saturday," he replied at last, going with the first thing that popped into his head. "Aunt Ann has called earlier, telling me she won't be able to make it this year but will come the week after." He stood up from his desk, leaving the mess of papers behind. He'd finish them later. "I'm going to sleep."

Sebastian watched him curiously, before sighing mentally and bowing. "Of course, my lord," he replied, and followed the boy towards his room.

The walk through the halls was silent, only the clicking of Sebastian's shiny black shoes could be heard, but to the young boy, everything felt deafly loud and he could hardly hear himself think.

Sebastian watched his little master curiously, noting his strange behavior as of late. Of course, even with his old master, strange behavior was never uncommon; the boy was definitely unlike any other child in, so many ways that it would be strange for something to not be off about him.

Sometimes Sebastian wondered if the boy was really worth all this trouble. Was it worth waiting for over a hundred years for the boy and being forced back into the role of a mere servant? Worth starving himself even further, because no other soul seemed worthy enough for him?

Ciel walked into his bedroom, sitting down on the overly large bed and looked up at Sebastian expectantly. "I want you to change me again," he said, holding his arms out, causing the demon to smile and bow.

"Of course my Lord," he said, reaching down and began unfastening the white, button up shirt the boy commonly wore. He looked into the sea blue eyes looking off to the side into space. "May I ask why? You seemed pretty reluctant to allow me in the past save for the one time."

Ciel didn't look down at the demon, his expression remaining neutral as he focused on the portrait that hung on his wall. It was blank, empty, only the canvas was up. The picture, Ciel recalled, was of his parents and himself when he was a child. When he made it back to his mansion after that e month, he had every picture of them removed so he never strayed from his goal of becoming emotionless.

He didn't really know exactly why he was having Sebastian change him again, he wasn't as tired as he was last time and could full well do it himself, but, like last time, it felt natural. The way the butler expertly maneuvered his hands to slide the clothing off his too-smooth skin, the accidental touches that tingled his skin, it all felt normal. It was almost like Sebastian had been doing this with him for years.

"I don't know," Ciel replied at last after a few moments of silence. "It feels normal to me, like you've done this for me…many times before." Ciel still refused to make eye contact, and when the gloved hands stopped sliding his socks off in what he figured was surprise, he knew he said something stupid. He scowled. "Forget it," he mumbled.

Sebastian had indeed stopped his menstruations from surprise and shock and was now putting on his best neutral expression as well, matching the boy's own.

Ciel was remembering. Something as simple as this felt familiar to him.

Sebastian wasn't sure if it was a smile or a frown that he was trying to suppress on his lips, but settled for a smirk. "It is indeed an odd thing to say, seeing as I only started working for you two weeks ago."

"I said forget it," the boy grumbled again. "I've been feeling queer lately, so if I say random nonsense like that please feel free to ignore it," he told the butler,said, standing up to give Sebastian better access to his pants.

The demon nodded. "Of course, my Lord. A lot of things have been happening to you recently, so please get plenty of rest." His crimson eyes locked onto the pale hands hanging limply by the boy's sides, his gloved hand running over the thumb ever so slightly in thought, the familiar large blue ring playing on his mind. Of course this Ciel didn't have it.

Sebastian's eyes widened in surprise as his hand was grasped by the smaller one tightly, almost angry. The demon smirked, figuring he was annoying the child with all the small touches he did as he recalled the memories of the old Ciel, until his crimson eyes traveled up and locked onto now blank, dull blue ones.

There was no recognition of what he was doing; , the boy didn't even appear to be looking down at Sebastian but rather past him. Something was wrong. "Young Master?" he asked, straightening up to get a better look at Ciel's face. "Young Ma—"

The blank eyes closed, the grip on Sebastian's hand tightening. "Sebastian," he said, his voice stern yet quiet. "Kill me already."

* * *

_**Why didn't he kill me?**_

"Ciel~!" Lizzy called to the sleeping boy.

Class had started not even an hour ago and already Ciel fell asleep. Of course, it was nice having a perfect grade and being one of the most well behaved students in the class—teachers often looked the other way when you were doing something you probably shouldn't have been doing. Of course, it helps to have plenty of money.

Ciel opened his eyes with a groan. He was tired, having not slept half as well as he liked to last night. He must have fallen asleep while Sebastian was changing him, because the last thing he remembered was watching Sebastian examine his hand, his thumb feeling lighter as the gloved finger ran over it. "What Eliza?" he yawned, covering his mouth with his hand.

The girl grinned, twirling a tip of one of her pigtails around her finger. "You don't have any plans for Christmas, do you Ciel?" she asked happily, and the tone of her voice made Ciel seriously consider lying, knowing what she was about to ask.

"…Why?" he asked, and the girl giggled.

"I'll take that as a 'no'! It's because my daddy wanted to invite you to come with us to Brighton for the holiday!" she smiled. "He has some contacts up there that he thinks you'd be interested in meeting, and the man's daughter is a good friend of mine!"

"No," Ciel instantly replied, causing the girl to pout.

"Ciel! Please!" Lizzy begged, gripping the boy's arm tightly and causing him to glare at the eyes all looking over at them.

"Calm down Eliza," he shushed, "you're making a scene."

"Daddy misses you! I miss you! You never leave your house anymore, it's not healthy!" she started to cry and Ciel sighed.

"It's not you, Lizzy, it's just…you know it's not safe for me to leave my house. After…_that time_…especially."

Lizzy shook her head. "I know that, Ciel, but if your worried about protection, daddy has many body guards to protect us from anything! You don't have to worry!"

Ciel was getting irritated. "That's not the point, I—"

"If you have no plans Ciel, you can come over to my place!"

The two looked over towards the bright and smiling face of Jim Macken.

_Bloody hell_, Ciel thought, mentally face palming himself. He was in no mood to deal with the blond—both of them, right now. "No I—"

"He's with me already, right Ciel?" Eliza smiled, a warning placed sweetly on her lips.

He had enough. "f Fine! Fine, whatever, I'll go. Just please, leave me alone!" Jim pouted and Eliza giggled, both turning and walking away. Ciel groaned and rested his head back on his desk; , thankful it was winter break after today. Briefly, his eyes flashed up towards the front of the room where he noticed an empty desk in the front row, the row beside his.

If he recalled, that was Wendy's seat. She wasn't there today. In fact, Ciel didn't remember seeing her there all week. Same thing for Lorraine, the seat where Jim sat, and the quiet boy with glasses who sat in the corner. Was there a bug going around?

Ciel didn't dwell on the thought as he sat his head back down and went back to sleep.

_**I wanted to die by his hands.**_

* * *

Ciel stayed behind after class as an excuse not to walk with Lizzy or Jim, telling them he had to ask the teacher a few questions about that day's assignment, despite the fact the math work was no harder than kindergarten work to him.

As far as he knew, both the two blonds he hoped to avoid left separately and alone, which meant it was safe for him to as well, with no risk of being bothered by either of them.

The freezing winter air stung Ciel's nose as he walked through the large yard, avoiding the groups of children chattering and running about with their friends. Everything seemed peaceful enough.

"He wasn't in class today," a hushed voice said from beside Ciel, as the boy turned to see a group of kids about his age whispering to each other. None of them were in his class, he noticed.

"Neither was Laura; I heard they got kidnapped."

"No way!"

Ciel was mildly interested to hear more. Seems like many students haven't been showing up to school, but most likely it was a coincidence. It was winter; , a bug going around was highly likely.

Loud, boisterous laughter drew his attention to the corner of the courtyard where a tree stood, tall and mighty, with a familiar blond mop of hair poking out from behind it.

_What's Jim doing behind the tree?_ Ciel thought, stepping closer towards the area. No, he wanted to avoid Jim at all costs; the boy was too hyperactive and a pain in his arse. But he really couldn't help but see what he was doing and why he was laughing. It was suspicious, and if he had anything that was against school rules that could get him kicked out, then the boy was all too happy to expose it.

"Macken," he called out, the boy not hearing him. He sounded like he was talking, his voice mumbled besides his laughter. Now, Ciel could clearly see his backside, which was moving around as if he was talking to someone. For a split second, Ciel wondered if it was Eliza.

_That would be terrible,_ he thought. Though Jim seemed harmless, he wouldn't allow someone pure like Lizzy to become too good of friends with him, he cared about her too much, despite how he showed it. Now he was approaching the tree and the babbling Jim faster, determined to pry innocent Lizzy away.

"Macken!" he called out again, rounding the tree so he was on the side of whoever the boy was talking too. "Macken, leave Li—" he stopped, coming face to face with Jim after circling the tree, finding no one else there.

Wait, clearly Jim was talking to someone. He was laughing, making gestures, talking—where was the person?

"Hey Ciel!" Jim chirped happily, causing the blue-eyed, shorter male's frown to deepen.

"Who were you talking to?" Ciel asked, looking around. Jim chuckled.

"No one, silly! Just myself," he laughed, though it sounded strange to Ciel's ears, more menacing. "Care to join me?" he asked, giving Ciel a bitter, almost seductive smile that didn't reach his eyes, causing him to take a step back. "What's wrong?"

_Besides your sanity, nothing,_ Ciel thought, continuing his steps back. "Nothing, I just need to go," he said, turning on his heel and quickly walking away.

"Okay! Have a good break!"

Ciel slowly walked towards the front of the gates where he saw Sebastian waiting for him, walking past the tall figure and motioning him to follow, for once ignoring his panic attack inducing surroundings and focusing on getting home.

Jim was truly a strange lad, and he didn't sit right with Ciel.

* * *

**A/N**

**Sorry for the late update! It's my summer vacation here in japan (well, was, I only have about a week and a half left) and I've been busy with host family gatherings, meetings with my organization, and exchange student trips to camp and Hiroshima. I'm all sad now T_T its really weird; we went to the peace memorial museum and I felt so out of place, mainly because I'm American. I felt like I was seeing something that Americans weren't meant to see, something private and whatnot. Not that you shouldn't go! I highly recommend it!**

**Camp was horrible, never going again. Three minute showers and if you don't finish you get kicked out in only your towel! Outside! Wish I was able to go with the Kyoto exchange students; they had an onsen T_T**

**So I'm breaking through a writers block wall right now, so hopefully updates will be faster! Sorry for the long wait again! It looks like something big happened in this chapter, well a few things did, so please keep them all in mind for the future! Jim is crazy, poor Sebastian is confused, and Ciel is getting closer to the day he dies! Please review! I'd like to know how the story is going so far!~**


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